You Promised
by Dyna63
Summary: An accident threats to pull them apart for good. A promise is made, but will it be kept?
1. Chapter 1

**My muse has failed me on my other story, but got me thinking about this. So I will write this until my muse gets me back on track. **

**Horses are my muses, maybe I have been working the horses in the wrong order and that is why I can't get over the hump on the other story. I am sure I will get back to it, but for the time being I hope you like this one. **

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><p>"Hey ya Bones?"<p>

"Hello Booth, What are you doing here?"

"Have you not looked outside?" She looked at him with a blank stare "Bones we have a winter storm in full force out there, they are sending everyone home and I am here to make sure you get home."

"I can take care of myself, Booth?"

"I know you can, but it would make me feel better to take you, Okay?" He grabbed her coat off the coat rack and walked up and grabbed a hold of her elbow. "Come On, Chop Chop."

She stood and slipped her arms into her coat then turned to face him. She watched him pick up her bag and straighten up before he held out his arm while she moved past him towards the door. He fell in beside her as they left her office, his hand finding its way to the small of her back.

As they pulled out of the covered parking onto the snow covered DC streets, Booth slipped the SUV into 4-wheel drive. The streets were crowded with people trying to get home. As they passed through the streets it was becoming more and more a game of avoid the obstacle, in this case being either cars stuck in snow drifts or cars left abandoned in the roadway, due to the ever worsening conditions.

They themselves had a couple of close calls with people traveling to fast for conditions and losing control when they tried to maneuver. "Booth, I am beginning to think we should have stayed at the lab."

"We will be fine Bones."

"Booth, I think you should stay at my place when we get there, I have that extra room and you have clothes there, so logically there is no reason for you to drive all the way home. If you are concerned about pipes you can have a neighbor use the key in your fake rock to go in and set your faucets at a trickle."

She glanced over at Booth and noticed he had a worried look on his face. "I think your right Bones, thanks for the offer." He glanced momentarily at her to give her a smile and she was turning her head back forward when it happened, out of no where a small car slid out of control in front of them.

She braced herself "Booth!" He snapped his head back forward and attempted to maneuver the SUV, the small car clipped his front bumper on the passenger side causing the SUV to lose traction. The airbags deployed slapping both occupants in the face. When the bags deflated Booth was heading towards the front of a very large truck and as hard as he tried the SUV didn't respond on the slick streets.

"Brace yourself Bones."

Everything went into slow motion Booth could see the glass shatter and could feel his body being tossed forward, his forward momentum being stopped by his seatbelt and the steer wheel being slammed into his torso and pinning him painfully to the seat. But he saw something else, he could see Bones being tossed forward like a ragdoll, her seatbelt also catching her but he watched something strike her and toss her back against her seat and then all went black.

* * *

><p>Booth came to with flashing red lights and voices he didn't recognize. He slowly lifted his head. "Hey Buddy, hold on, we are going to get you out of here."<p>

"Huh?"

"You have been in an accident; we are going to get you out, just hold on."

"Accident?" something clicked in his brain. He turned his head and grimaced at the pain shooting up his neck "Bones … Bones" His mouth hung open as he looked over at her and saw her head lulled to the side away from him, he could not see her face and try as he might he couldn't move to get to her. "BONES!" He stared in horror at the object that was lodged in the midsection of her body.

"Sir, sir we are going to cover you and your wife with a blanket while we cut the car away from you."

"Is she…?" he couldn't finish his sentence.

"She is still alive. But we need to get her out you two out of here."

Booth reached for her as the blanket came down over them. He could hear the metal of the car crunching and screeching against the force of the jaws of life. Booth felt her being pulled away from his hand. "Hang on Bones" he breathed out as blackness overtook him.

"Dr. Hampton 3204 stat….Code Blue Room 4405 Code Blue Room 4405."

"Dr. Connor he is coming around."

"Mr. Booth … Mr. Booth can you hear me?" Booth eyes opened to slits "_What the hell happened, Oh my God I hurt. Where am I? Hospital … accident. _BONES … AAARRRGGGHHHH!" Booth screamed out her name as he tried to sit up, the pain that tore through his body at the movement was more than his body could handle and it pushed him back in to unconsciousness.

"What do we have?" Dr. Scranton asked as they rolled in the second gurney from the accident.

"Female, approx. 30 to 35 years of age, passenger in head on collision, airbags deployed on impact prior to the head on. She is impaled with what appears to be a metal strip off the truck they hit and was unconscious upon arrival. Her BP is 90/palp, Respiration is 9, pulse is 120, and we have dumped 2 bags of saline into her. She coded once in the ambulance, but has held somewhat stable once we got her back," the Paramedic was yelling his assessment as they were running into with the gurney to the trauma room.

"Get me an X-ray of this and book an O.R., NOW PEOPLE." Dr. Scranton yelled out "We need to get her into surgery."

* * *

><p>Brennan was sitting at her desk when she looked up and saw a woman enter her office. "Can I help you?" Brennan asked as she turned and stood to face the woman.<p>

"Temperance don't you recognize me?"

Brennan studied the woman closely "You do look like someone I should …. MOM?" her eyes opened wide in disbelief "Mom is that really you?"

Christine smiled at her daughter "Yes, sweetheart it is me. I wanted to talk with you a while." Brennan felt like a small child again and hurriedly rounded her desk and fell into her mothers waiting arms. "Oh Temperance I have missed you."

"Bones?"

"Booth, look it is my mother." Happy excited tears ran down her face.

"Bones come with me." She saw the protective look in his eye

"Why?"

"This isn't right, something is wrong. Bones please come with me."

"No Booth, my mom." Her eyes pleaded with his

"Booth, I will take care of her." Christine's soft eyes watched him. "I want to help her."

"No, you're dead. Bones, your mom is dead and if we are talking to her…" He tried to reach for Bones and the closer he seemed to get the further away she seemed to be "Bones please come to me I can't reach you."

"I can reach you Booth," She squeezed his hand and smiled at him. "I will come back later, I want to talk with my mom."

Booth could feel a pull on him; he was being pulled away from her. "Bones, promise me … Promise me Bones, promise you will come back to me."

"I promise Booth" he heard her say and then she was gone.

"We need to get him into surgery or we are going to lose him. He is bleeding from somewhere and we need to find it and shut it down fast. Call up and tell them we are on the way" Dr. Connor ordered as they started to move Booth towards the elevator.


	2. Chapter 2

"Temperance come sit" Christine sat on the couch in Brennan's office holding her hand out to her daughter.

Brennan did not hesitate to sit with her mother. As she looked into the warm deep brown eyes of her mother she could not have been happier. She felt none of the sadness or loneliness she had been experiencing before today. While she didn't completely understand what was going on, she knew she had her mother back, something she had been longing for and having her mother beside her had taken away all the pain of the last year and a half.

_She had pushed Booth away and then when she realized her mistake he had moved on. He had fallen in love with Hannah Burley, she was everything Brennan wasn't, blonde, bubbly, bright, out going, able to give love and receive it. Everything Booth wanted, he was happy for a while and then she broke his heart. When Brennan had gotten the call from Hannah she went to him, ever faithful with a small glimmer of hope that maybe they had a second chance only to have that hope crushed by his harsh words._

_She deserved the words, the ultimatum, be only his partner or leave. Having Seeley Booth in her life in any form was better than not having him at all, she chose to be his partner. Through the pain that was tearing through her body at break neck speeds she was reminding herself this was the life she expected to have, she was not a person that was lucky enough to have a family, and none of this should surprise her. She had returned to burying herself in her work, which had made the day slip by much easier, held the pain at bay as long as she had something to occupy her mind. It was those rare moments when she wasn't engaged that the pain slipped in and sometimes would consume her._

But now here with her mother, there was no pain, there was no sadness; there was only happiness and warmth, a sense of belonging. "Mom" She didn't really have anything to say just wanted to say the title she had been unable to apply to anyone for so many years.

"I have missed you my precious girl" her mother smiled as she spoke the words.

"I have missed you too, why didn't you come back sooner?"

"I couldn't, the opportunity was not there and the time was not right."

"But I thought you were dead. I needed … need you. Dad tries, but he isn't you and I …"

"Oh baby girl" Christine wrapped her arms around her daughter, who moved into the embrace like she was that scared 15 year old girl again. "I never wanted to leave you, but you know we do the best we can and your father and I did what we thought was right to save your life." Christine's hands moved in circles on her daughters back, much like Brennan had done to Parker.

"You are here now and you never have to leave."

"Temperance, I have always been with you and will always be with you." She tapped Brennan's head "right here" and then tapped her chest "and right here"

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><p>"Okay folks let close her up." Dr. Scranton took in air through his nose and breathed out through his mouth, although you couldn't really notice with the mask over his face. "Let's get her up to CCU and then hope she makes it through the next 24 hours."<p>

Dr. Scranton took a chair outside of the O.R. he was just in after they wheeled his patient down the hall. He leaned his head back against the wall and pinched the bridge of his nose with his fingers. All he could do now was pray he found all the bleeders, she was young and strong, but being impaled can scramble most anything in it's path, she was lucky it only nicked her stomach and didn't hit anything else vital. Her injuries were complicated by a broken arm, a broken leg, some cracked ribs from the seat belt he assumed, and bruising to her face. He was hoping for the best but knew she was holding on by a thread. Sighing loudly he got up and headed down to check on the man that had been with her, he assumed her husband, who was still in surgery.

Dr. Scranton donned his mask and pushed open the door to the O.R. his colleague was in. "How's it going Joe?"

Joe looked up over his glasses. "He has some internal injuries, broken ribs and a bruised kidney, but all in all I think he will be okay. Amazed he came out of it with the little injuries he has. He is in good shape, which is in his favor. How about her?"

"She made it through surgery, now we see if she makes it through the next 24 hours. Do we know who they are yet?"

* * *

><p>"Temperance come with me" She held out her hand to her daughter and they walked out of Brennan's office and into her apartment. Brennan didn't seem to notice the unusual change.<p>

"Would you like some tea mother?" She moved towards the kitchen as her mother nodded.

"Temperance we need to talk, there is so much to say and never enough time."

"We have all the time in the world now mother."

"No sweetheart, soon you have to go back to your Agent Booth."

"He will understand."

"No sweetheart not this time. You promised him, you can't break that promise. I am here to help you, help you understand some things."

"What things? I am highly intelligent; in fact I have not met anyone smart then myself yet."

Christine chuckled at her daughters bluntness "That is just like your father." Brennan grinned. There was a warm silence between the two women as Brennan continued to heat water for tea and Christine relished in this time with her daughter.

"He loves you, you know."

"My father, yes I know."

"No honey, Seeley. He loves you."

Brennan was pouring the tea into the cups she had just removed from the cabinet. "I believe he did, but we missed our chance, or I missed our chance."

"Are you so sure about that?"

She thought for a moment and then leveled her gaze on her mother "Yes, I am quite sure" his words replaying over and over in her mind. _"You and me, we are partners." _

"Mom, I would prefer to not talk about Booth or my work. There is plenty of time for that, I just got you back. I want to get to know you." Christine smiled as Brennan sat the warm liquid in front of her.


	3. Chapter 3

"Okay Temperance what would you like to talk about?"

Brennan glanced down at her hands, "Parents tell their kids stories about when they were younger. Sometimes they reminisce together. I would like to do that." She brought her eyes up to her mothers face.

Mother and daughter looked at each other for several minutes before Christine spoke up. "I remember once when you were four, you father tried to trick you into eating Brussels sprouts and you very indignantly stood up in your chair placed your hands on your hips" Christine straightened in the chair and put her hand on the hips "and announced to your father that you were not born yesterday and you were not eating Brussels sprouts."

"I did that?"

"Yes you did and I will never forget the helpless look on your father's face as he tried to think of what to say to you and I certainly was no help I could not stop laughing, which seemed to encourage you. It was rare for someone to leave your father speechless."

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><p>Angela was watching the news taking some pressure off her swollen feet. "In other news best selling author and world renowned Forensic Anthropologist Dr. Temperance Brennan and FBI Special Agent Seeley Booth were involved in a head on collision this afternoon, both are listed in critical condition..."<p>

Angela stared at the TV eyes wide in horror as she tried to get herself off the couch "JACK!"

Jack came stumbling into the room where Angela was with the cordless phone in his hand. "It's Cam, Dr. B and Booth ..." he stared at the pictures of the accident on the TV.

"We need to get to the hospital." Angela's eyes wide in panic and filling quickly with tears.

"Baby, we can't get there in this weather."

"She is my best friend …"

Jack wrapped his arms around his wife's trembling form forgetting all about Cam on the other end of the phone he just tossed to the couch, "I know Baby, I know and we will go as soon as we can, but getting killed is not going to help either of them." She raised her stricken face to his and nodded slightly before collapsing against him again.

Cam lived the closest to the hospital and although she was not comfortable driving the short distance, she was not at all averse to walking it. She layered on clothing and pulled out her snow boots that had been sitting at the back of her closet for way to long. As she slipped them on and secured them she realized she needed to get out more and do something fun and do it while Michelle was still at home to create some memories.

Cam checked to make sure she had enough cash on her incase she was unable to use her cards. She left Michelle a note, grabbed her cell phone and left her house for the usually 20 minute walk to the hospital.

She had under estimated the snow volume and an hour and half later she walked through the doors of the hospital cursing that she was going to fire her trainer. As she approached the main desk the receptionist eyed her up and down. "Can I help you?" her voice less than pleasant.

Cam pulled off her gloves and pulled the hood off her head. "Hi" she smiled at the woman "I would like to check on a couple of patients please."

"Yeah and …"

Cam narrowed her eyes at the woman but told herself it had been a hell of a day and maybe she just was exhausted. "Dr. Temperance Brennan and Seeley Booth"

"And who are you?" again there was a tone to the woman voice.

Cam decided enough was enough. "You know I don't recall doing anything to you to cause this hostility, however, if that is the way you want to play this game so be it. I am Dr. Camille Saroyan; I am a pathologist, current the lead of the medico legal lab at the Jeffersonian. Dr. Brennan and Agent Booth are my co workers, friends, and FAMILY. I didn't just spend an hour and half in hell walking here to be subjected to you. Now I suggest you get me the doctors in charge of their care and you get them now or you will regret waking up this morning." Cam's hardened gaze penetrated the woman "Do we understand each other?"

"Yes ma'am, give me just a second and I will have the doctors meet you."

"Thank you" Cam turned as she started to remove some of her layers as she was getting quite warm in the lobby of this hospital.

"Ma'am" the woman called to Cam "Both doctors are up in CCU and have said you could join them up there and they will fill you in."

"Thank you" Cam headed for the elevators and took a deep breath as she tried to mentally prepare herself, then she pushed the button.

* * *

><p>As she approached the Critical Care ward her legs felt heavy and seemed to get heavier the closer she got. She dreaded what she was going to find. Normally she had her 'family' to lean on when she got information like this, but that was not possible, she had to face this alone and do what needed to be done.<p>

She was greeted by both doctors and after exchanging pleasantries, they motioned Cam into one of the room slightly down the hall from the entrance doors to CCU.

Dr. Scranton was the first to speak. "Dr. Saroyan from what we gather they were involved in a head on collision without the protection of the airbags."

"They failed?"

"Apparently they were struck prior to the head on and the airbags had deployed and deflated. She was impaled by a metal stripe off the truck; she had a lot of internal injuries."

"And …"

"She coded in the ambulance, they managed to pull her back before they got here. Right now we see if she survives the next 24 hours. To be perfectly honest, she is barely holding on."

Cam smiled "You don't know Dr. Brennan, if anyone can beat the odds it will be her. She needs to be okay because if she isn't he …" her voice trailed off for a moment "And Booth, how is he?" she turned her head to face the other doctor.

"He has some broken ribs, bruised kidney, some internal injuries, but nothing vital. He is in good physical shape which is in his favor, so now we just wait for him to wake up."

"So they are both in comas?"

"Mr. Booth woke up in the ER and yelled out BONES while trying to get up off the table, and then he passed back out. We took him into surgery directly after that."

Cam smiled slightly "that is what he calls her" Both doctors nodded.

"Dr. Saroyan we need to contact next of kin if there is any." Dr. Connors watched Cam

"I've contacted her father and his grandfather. Other than that their family is our team."

Dr. Scranton stood up and motioned towards the door. "Dr. Saroyan if you would like to see them come with me."

As she was led into Booths room she was prepared for what she saw, sort of. He was basically one large bruise. She walked over to the side of the bed and started to reach for his hand, but pulled back at the last second seeing it heavily wrapped in gauze. She looked to this other hand and while it was not covered, it was heavily bruised. She leaned down and gently placed a kiss on his forehead. "Hey big guy, you fight and don't go towards in warm welcoming bright lights." Two tears slipped down her cheek that she quickly wiped away.

She then approached Brennan's room, "Oh my God" were the words that came out of Cam's mouth along with the air racing to leave her lungs when her eyes came to rest on Brennan's broken body. While she was not surprised by what she saw, she found it was extremely difficult when it was your friend hooked up to machines that helped her breathe, machines that monitored her blood pressure and her pulse, not to mention the machines that administered pain meds and antibiotics at preset intervals.


	4. Chapter 4

"Bones … Bones come on Bones, where the hell are you?"

"Booth I am right here, talking with my mother and when did you just let yourself into my apartment?"

"Bones we got to go come on chop chop."

"No Booth I am sure you can find someone else to examine a body. Dr. Edison is very capable and so is Dr. Bray. I think I need some time off to spend with my mother."

Booth looked at Christine "You can't have her; she has too much left to do."

"Booth, you can't talk to my mother that way."

"Bones don't you see what is happening here?"

"What do you mean what is happening here. I am talking with my mother, who I haven't seen since I was 15."

"Bones, you mother is … dead."

Christine interrupted in a hurried manner "Booth I will take care of her. She needs me right now to help her."

"Help her what? Cross over, I don't think so. She isn't finished yet."

"Booth tell Max I love him and that I am helping Tempe. He will understand."

Booth looked at Christine with panic on his face. Never breaking eye contact with the woman he spoke to Brennan. "Bones do you trust me?"

"Booth are you okay, you are acting strange."

"Bones do you trust me?"

"Of course I trust you with my life, you know that."

"Then trust me now and come with me."

"No ... I mean I trust you Booth, but ... I ... I want to stay with my mother for a while. Not like there won't be more cases when I come back to work."

"Bones please" her eyes softened as she heard his voice crack. She gently placed her hand on his arm, he grabbed for her arm with his quick reflexes only to grab air where her wrist had been only moments before. When he looked up he was he was surrounded by nothing. "But you promised, Bones you promised, Bones … Bones you promised" he kept repeating over and over.

Cam had dozed off in a chair next to Booth's bed and awoke to Booth mumbling something. "Booth, come on Booth wake up. It's Camille, Come on wake up big guy." As she spoke to him he quieted some, but still had a worried look to his battered face. "What are you dreaming about big man that has you so worried?"

Once Booth had quieted Cam settled back into the chair by his bed and pulled out her cell to call their little makeshift family and let them know the little she knew.

* * *

><p>Brennan had just pulled a small wooden box off a shelf. "You remember when I won that spelling bee and our picture in the newspaper?"<p>

"Of course I remember sweetheart"

"I lost that clipping and the medal. I was so upset, it was one of the last things I had of us and I lost it. Then Booth and I got a case in Florida with ummm … I can't think of his name …"

"Walter"

"Yes, mother that is it. Anyway he used that medal and paper clipping to prove to me that he was a" Brennan used her fingers as quotes 'Finder'. "He seems to think of what he does is equal to what I do as a forensic anthropologist." Brennan smirked and shook her head slightly "however I do have to admit that he it was truly luck that he found this." Brennan opened the box and pulled the medal out and a few other keep sakes she had there, one being her mother's belt buckle.

"I remember when a certain teenager borrowed this without my permission" Christine had a smile on her face as she picked up the buckle and thought back to that day. Brennan tipped her head and smiled as she too also remembered it.

"_Temperance" _

"_Mom, I am late, I need to get to school, see you later" she ran out the door before her mother noticed she had borrowed her belt. _

_Christine had turned every cushion in the house and emptied every draw looking for the belt she wore almost daily. _

"_Honey, what are you doing?" Max asked her _

"_My belt, I can't find my belt with the buckle you bought me. I have looked everywhere and I was positive that I put in with my other belts in the closet when I wore it a couple of days ago."_

_Max smiled at his wife "I am sure it will turn up" he looked to his watch "and soon I would imagine" _

_Christine narrowed her eyes at her husband "What do you know?"_

_Max smiled as he looked out the window at their daughter walking up the walk "Looks like I was right."_

_Christine looked past him to Tempe walking towards them the belt wrapped around her hips "TEMPERANCE BRENNAN" Christine opened the front door as she yelled her name. _

"I should have never gotten mad at you for some so frivolous. I am sorry Temperance."

"Mom, I should never have taken it after you had told me no." Both women laughed at the memory.

"I remember a yard and me sitting on your lap. Actually I don't know if I am remembering it or if I wish it."

"Tell me about it"

"We were sitting on the ground, maybe having a picnic; I was on your lap. My view of it is as if watching it from above and the picture is turning. Does that make sense?"

"I think you remember a time when your father was filming us with an old camcorder and he was walking around us holding the camcorder above us. That was our yard, it was in the house we were in just prior to the last one where we all lived together."

"I am sorry it went so bad after we left. Your father didn't want to leave, but I forced him to." Brennan shook her head, she wanted answered but wasn't sure if she wanted them now. "It was the only way I could think to save your lives. Thinking about it, I should have trusted your father. He had never let me down and he would have never let you down, much like your Agent Booth."

"Why do you keep referring to Booth as mine, Booth does not belong to me, he is not property, he is my partner."

Christine watched her daughter and could see that referring to Booth as only a partner hurt, but she had mastered masking the pain. "You need to trust him, he will not let you down ever."

"I do trust Booth; he is very trustworthy and sometimes very annoying with his protectiveness."

Christine smiled, "Yes I can see how that would be a source of friction for someone like you that is fiercely independent. But sweetheart whether you like it or not men protect the women they love, it is bred into the good ones and Booth is a good one. You need to give into those feelings you keep fighting against."

"Mother, I would prefer to not discuss Booth's and my loves lives. He made it clear when Hannah turned him down that he and I were just partners and he gave me a choice. I could be his partner or leave. So can we now drop this subject?"

Christine looked to her daughter with worried eyes as Brennan walked into her kitchen. A small tug on her sleeve caused her to turn her face to the small soul next to her. "I am working on it baby, we will get through to her somehow."


	5. Chapter 5

**Thank you Alexindigo for pointing out I was trying to change Cam's name. I never noticed, I would like to say that the A and the E are really close together and my finger slipped, but can't get away with that. So I fixed the her name where it has shown up in the story... **

**NOTE TO SELF: Stop writing and posting when tired, it never goes well. **

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><p>Cam was standing in front of a coffee machine both dreading and needing the brown foul liquid that was coming out. Once the machine was done releasing said liquid into a cup she slid the door open and pulled the cup out. The aroma of the liquid made her miss the espresso machine at work. Her phone rang just as she was bringing the cup to her mouth causing her to startle jolting the cup sloshing some of the hot contents on to her hand and her reflex caused her to dropped the cup. She jumped back to avoid as much of the splatter as she could as the cup hit the ground and the brown liquid was pushed out.<p>

As she fished her phone out of her pocket she sighed heavily "Saroyan"

"Hey Sweetheart I know I shouldn't call, but honey how is Seeley?"

"Oh Pops, he still hasn't woke up, but the doctors say he will be okay. He is in good shape and that helped him out."

"And Temperance?"

"If she survives through this through tomorrow afternoon her chances go up considerably. She is pretty banged up Pops."

"Honey, I won't keep you. I will let you know as soon as Max and I can head that way. Tell them I love them, I know they probably can't hear you, but tell them anyway."

"I will Pops, see you when you get here."

She looked at the coffee machine and decided she was not suppose to drink coffee this morning. She let someone know about the spill and slowly made her way to Brennan's room. She pushed the door open and walked over to her bed.

Her and the woman in this bed had never been friends so to speak, but they respected each other and as time went on they had grown closer or as close as to opposites could be. But this woman held her friends' heart and Cam knew if she didn't pull through Seeley would never be the same.

"_What if I fired her? What would you do?"_

"_I'm with Bones Cam, all the way. Don't doubt it for a second."_

She knew that day when he said those words he belonged to Temperance Brennan, however, she didn't think he had realized it yet and she knew Brennan, if she did know, would deny it.

Cam leaned down and rested her arms on the side of the bed "Dr. Brennan, I know we are not friends, well not like you and Angela, but I have grown fond of you over the years and I hope the feeling is mutual. I can't think of what it would be like without you here and I know Seeley won't go on without you. Dr. Brennan if you can hear me you need to fight, you need to fight your way back to us." Cam fought back the tears that threatened her eyes "Pops said to tell you he loves you and him and Max will be here as soon as they can. So you hold on for them. You hear me? Cam stood up and wiped her hands over her eyes, taking one last look at Brennan she turned and headed for Seeley's room.

* * *

><p>Brennan sat in her kitchen glancing around while she listened to a woman's voice. She couldn't make out what was being said, it was very quiet as if far away, but she knew the female voice, just was not able to put a name to it. Christine heard the voice also and she peeked into the kitchen and watch Tempe for a reaction.<p>

"Tempe are you okay?"

"I'm fine, why do you ask?"

"No reason you just seem to be deep in thought."

"I just thought I heard a voice calling to me." Brennan laughed a little "Ludicrous right? I am hearing things."

Christine smiled at her daughter "You know life for you would have been very different if your father and I had been able to stay around."

"I am sure it would have been and in a better way."

"Maybe in some ways, but in others" Christine looked down at her hands

"What do you mean?"

"You would not have been a forensic Anthropologist and you would have never met Agent Booth."

"You can't know that."

"Yes, I can Tempe and I do. Sweetheart please spend the time we have letting me help you."

"Help me with what?"

"Help you open up so that things that should happen, can."

"I don't understand."

"You don't need to understand, you just need to learn how to let things happen, mostly the things you can't explain with science."

* * *

><p>Camille was asleep in a very awkward position which would probably prove to cause her discomfort when she woke up; however, even at the doctors prodding she was not leaving his room. She would be there when her friends woke up, especially one of her oldest friends.<p>

Hours later Booth slowly started to wake up, his eyes barely opening as he was trying to come out of his drug induced sleep. His voice was barely a whisper when he called for her "Bones" Camille shot up in her chair and grabbed her neck as the uncomfortable position she had been in announced itself.

"Seeley … Seeley"

Booth's eyes only open to slits moved towards the voice. His voice was weak when he spoke "Cam?"

"Yeah big guy it is me. Thank God you are okay."

"Bones?"

"She is down the hall …" her eyes darted back and forth between his "She is in pretty rough shape."

"See her?"

"Yeah I have seen her."

"No me?"

"Booth you are in no condition..."

"Ple … plea … pleasssse." He struggled to get the words out.

"I'll check with the doctor if you promise to rest some more" she nodded at him while she continued to search his eyes.

He swallowed hard "Water"

Cam got him some water and a straw and helped him drink a small amount. "Not to much big guy it will make you sick. You have a lot of stitch work inside and you don't want to be ripping that out." He nodded his understand

"What happened?"

"You don't remember?"

Booth thought and then moved his eyes to Cam "Accident"

"Yeah, head on. The truck you hit was travelling way to fast of the conditions."

He nodded and closed his eyes. Cam sat on the edge of the bed and watched him for a long time. She felt like she was finally able to breath, he was awake, that was good, now they just needed Dr. Brennan to wake up. She slipped off the bed when she knew he was back to sleep and she kissed his forehead before she slipped from the room to call everyone and check on Brennan.

"Cam how are they?"

"And hello to you to Dr. Hodgins."

"Sorry hello Cam, how are they?"

She smiled knowing he was trying to take care of a very pregnant and very emotional Angela. "Booth woke up briefly, he was able to talk a little."

"Dr. B?"

"No change."

"How are you doing?"

"I'm okay Jack."

"We will be there as soon as this damn storm stops."

"I know you will. But for now I will hold down the fort and let you know what is going on." Jack told Cam he would call everyone else including Max and Pops. She needed a breather before she went into Brennan's room again. She found herself standing in front of the chapel in the hospital.

While Cam believed in God, heaven, and hell, she was not as religious as Booth. His faith was one of his strengths that fascinated her. It was part of what made Seeley Booth, Seeley Booth. She slowly walked in and sat in a pew. She hadn't prayed in years, but it was times like these that she thought it couldn't hurt, even if she did it wrong. She bowed her head, interlaced her fingers, and silently prayed for the life of one forensic anthropologist who didn't believe in the almighty, but lived her life as if he existed. She also prayed for Booth to have the strength to go on if God was not able to grant her pray for one forensic anthropologist.

Cam sat back in the pew when she was done. Camille Saroyan was a strong woman and was not known to cry, however the stress of what was happening was catching up to her at break neck speed and before she could stop them, tears came rushing into her eyes and spilled over onto her cheeks as if a dam had been breached. Once the tears started they were not going to stop until she was cried out. Her shoulders slumped and her body began to shake as she wept.

When the tears subsided an emotionally exhausted Cam made her way to Brennan's room to check on her. She had every intention of returning to Booth's room once she was done, however when she sat down in the chair opposite Brennan's bed, the emotional ride she was just on caused her to lean her head back. Sleep claimed her fast; she would not be leaving that room anytime soon.


	6. Chapter 6

Cam awoke to the sounds of machines beeping frantically and people running into the room. Cam sat up "What is going on?"

A younger woman bent over to make eye contact with Cam "Ma'am you have to leave the room." She pulled on Cam's elbow as Cam rose out of the chair "Ma'am, please you must leave the room" Cam pulled back from the young woman and took in the machines and then she heard the call over the hospital system.

"Code Blue Room 4222, Code Blue Room 4222" Cam froze in place as the young woman again tried to get her attention "Ma'am you must leave now." Cam stared at the younger woman as her sleep deprived brain was trying to comprehend what was going on.

"Get a crash cart in here right now."

"Starting CPR, get her off that ventilator and bag her."

Cam was ushered out of the room and the door shut behind her. She stood trembling just outside the door, trying to breathe as she listened to frantic voices shouting out instructions to each other from the other side of the door.

She stumbled back to Booths room and just before she entered it she put her forehead to the door frame trying to collect herself incase he was awake. As she pushed open the door she breathed a sigh of relief that he was still asleep. She slipped back the chair next to his bed and reached for his hand.

* * *

><p>Christine looked at the watch like bangle on her wrist and sighed heavily. "Temperance we don't have much time, we need to talk."<p>

"If you want to talk about Booth and/or my love life, I would prefer we didn't."

"No … I want to tell you the story of your father and me. I want to tell you all the wonderful things that you don't seem to want to remember." Brennan and her mother sat on her couch, Brennan tucked a leg under as she settled in a position facing her mother and leaning against the back of her couch with her shoulder. "So what has your father told you?"

"Not much, when he starts he gets this far away look in his eye and it seems to affect his ability to speak." Christine smiled at the thought of the last time Max was speechless when she was still living. But that was another story and that was private.

"We were in California … I was there to find fame and fortune … Okay I was young and foolish and had this idyllic dream in my head of what I wanted my life to be." Christine smiled at the memory "I had just gotten off a bus with a friend and literally bumped into your father. I excused myself and walked away … he followed." Christine eyes sparkled as she smiled at her daughter.

Christine dipped her face down as she continued her story "We stopped at a light and he reached up and touched my hair and said he had never seen such beautiful hair." She shook her head, smiled and raised her eyebrows, looking very much like an older version of her daughter "Why I didn't drop him on the spot I don't know. All I know is when I looked into his eyes, those soft kind eyes, I knew. I knew he was the one for me."

"Of course my life was far from what I wanted it to be. I had gotten myself in with some people that were not the most upstanding citizens; however, they were not violent. What we did, we did for a cause. When I meant your father, I decided to walk away, wasn't going to drag him into that kind of life, little did I know at the time, how our paths had been paralleling each others."

"So Dad and you ran in different criminal circles?"

Christine rolled her eyes at her daughter. "If you want to put preset labels on it to help you understand, then yes that is exactly it."

"Mother, you still broke the law …"

"Temperance, this is not a debate about right and wrong, this is about your father, me, and you. What occurred, occurred a very long time ago, long before you were a glimmer in our eyes. So lets forget the rest or we will never get anywhere, you are my and Max's daughter, which means you have a double dose of stubborn."

"But Mother you and Dad robbed banks and he killed people."

Christine closed her eyes "Tempe he never killed anyone that didn't deserve it and he only killed to protect his family."

"Murder is murder."

"If you believe that and believe there is no good reason for killing, they why did you offer up reasonable doubt at his trial?" Christine starred intently at her daughter

"I … I – I …"

"And what about Booth?" Brennan's head jerked in the direction of her mother "He has killed, he has killed for his country, and he has killed for you. And while we are on the subject, you have killed for him too."

"Booth killed to protect his country and that weighs heavy on him and and and ..."

"But he still killed and in your definition murder is murder. So if what you say is true, he is no better than the men on death row." Brennan tightened her lips and glared at her mother "But, if what I say is true, your father and Booth are very much alike, they have only killed those who deserve it. Maybe that is why Max and Booth understand each other. They are both honorable men and they live by a set of ideals that they stay true to."

"You're right mother."

Christine smiled "So if I can be right about that, maybe I am right about other things. Things you need to open up to."

"I am ready to listen." Temperance darted her eyes between her hands and her mother

"Good" Christine reached over and covered her daughter's hands with her own. "So where were we?" she thought for a moment

"Your father and I lived on the wild side, but once we found out we were having Russ, we walked away. We had evidence locked away that we thought would keep us safe. We lived a normal life, we were like everyone else on the block and we were happy to be just everyday people." Christine got up and walked over to the window "Then it came crashing down. Your father changed our names and we moved we settle into a new life and …" Her voice drifted off as she got lost in her memories. "Temperance we never wanted to leave you, but it was the only way we knew to protect you. They wanted us and they would have hurt you to get to us. But I never stopped loving you, ever."

* * *

><p>Christine returned to her daughter and sat next to her slightly turned to face her. "Your father came back to make sure you and Russ are able to have the life we couldn't." She slid her hand up and down Brennan's arm. "Enough of this, we have more important things to discuss rather than rehashing the past." She smiled at her daughter "And that something is your Agent Booth."<p>

"Mom, you did it again."

"Did what again sweetheart?"

"Called Booth mine."

Christine chuckled "Because he is yours … you just need to be open to it."

"He is not a piece of property."

"Not in the literal sense. But he is yours; his heart belongs to you and has for a very long time. Sweetheart our souls at intertwined through out our journeys. Each life we live the same souls mingle, others we touch briefly but yours and Booths need the other to thrive. They can create lives without the other, but they are much more, let's say, productive when they are together."

"Lives? Are you trying to tell me we live more than one life?"

"Not us persay, but our souls live many lives to learn and grow." Brennan furrows her brow at her mother "Temperance I know you are the scientist, you like facts."

"Facts are good, yes I like facts."

"But not everything can be explained by science." Temperance started to disagree and her mother held up her hand "let me finish." Temperance leaned back against the couch arms crossed over her chest. "And that there, you crossing your arms, is body language saying you are not going to believe anything I say." Brennan looked down at her arms and pulled her lips into a tight line as she unfolded her arms and tried to figure out what to do with them.

"Do you remember conceding that Booth might be right about love and the release of chemicals into your body?"

"Yes"

"I want you to think of Michael, your teacher, you know the one … you had …"

Brennan's eyes got huge "You know about that?"

"Yes, but that is not the point. When you think about him tell me what you feel."

Brennan dropped her eyes. "Betrayed and used' are the first words that come to mind."

"But I asked you what you feel? Inside."

"I told you Betrayed"

"No inside. Betrayed is a descriptor of what he did. I mean inside, in that place where you shove everything into a box so you can ignore it. Before you box it up, what does it feel like?"

"Sad, heavy" She starred down at the floor as she remembered the tightness in her chest, what she assumed some might call pain. While not a pain it uncomfortable."

"When your father walked out of that building after his trial, how did you feel?"

"I had mixed feelings because he had mur …" she stopped mid sentence when she saw the look on her mothers face. "Happy, like I could fly"

"When Booth took the bullet for you and you thought he died?"

"I don't want to do this." Brennan stood up

"Pain, you felt like someone reached into your chest and pulled your heart out. While totally illogical you felt physical pain even when your science couldn't explain it."

"I said I don't want to do this mother."

"I don't care, you will do this. Why did you feel that kind of pain, why did you try so desperately to shove that pain into a box?"

Brennan got up to leave the room only to find her way blocked by her mother. Christine grabbed her by the arms, "You have two paths you can take right now, one takes you home, the other … ends here." She ducked her head to force Brennan to look her in the eye "Tell me why you will not face it."

"Because he said we are only partners."

"We will deal with that in a minute. Why did you not face it then? Why did you try to shove it into a box?"

Brennan had tears coursing down her cheeks. Christine pulled her into her arms. "Oh baby you need to face it so you can move on. You don't want to be here, you have to much left to do." She rubbed circles on her back "So tell me why?"

"Because I love … loved him."

"No you mean love. You . love . him."

"But it doesn't matter. We are partners … just partners. He said that. I … I did tell him … I did and he . he . we are partners. That is it."

"He never stopped loving you, when he said you were partners he was hurting. Hannah had hurt him and he was lashing out at the closest thing to him. You always hurt the one you love the most."

"He loved Hannah; he wanted to make a life with her."

"Only because you refused to open up to him, you refused to let him love you. But he has never stopped; even when he was with Hannah he never stopped loving you. Oh he moved on, he did what you wanted. He loves you but you have to make the first move this time, he won't gamble again."

* * *

><p>As Brennan starred at her mother she saw something dart past them. She began to look in the direction, whatever it was went. Christine smiled. "Temperance we were talking about souls" she took a step back from her daughter and tipped her head to the side leaning till she could see behind a chair. She then crooked her finger and motioned the little soul to her. "Someone wants to meet you."<p>

"What is it?"

Christine chuckled "Maybe you should change so she will recognize you a little better."

Brennan watched with a small amount of disbelief on her face as the little flittering soul changed into human form, once it was finished her eyes grew wide as she saw a replica of Booth in miniature. "It looks just like Booth"

"That is because he wants to be just like Booth, you know most little boys want to grow up to marry their mothers and be just like their dads."

Brennan eyes widened as she looked at Christine "You mean that …" she swallowed hard things were starting to frighten her. Booths words came back to her, words that slipped through earlier. "_This isn't right, something is wrong. Bones please come with me."_ her eyes darted around and she went to her front door and opened it, she stepped through and was back in her lab. She turned to find her mother and the little whatever it was standing behind her.

"Temperance … Honey are you okay?"

"_No, you're dead. Bones, your mom is dead and if we are talking to her_…" Brennan's face grew pale as realization hit her. _"Bones, promise me … Promise me Bones, promise you will come back to me." _

"You're dead, you're not real … you're dead and if I am … Oh no I promised Booth. I promised Booth. I have to find Booth."

"Temperance, Tempe calm down, you are in limbo. You are not dead, think of this as a place to help you make some decisions."

"How do I know you are telling me the truth?"

"Temperance your body is hurt badly, it is trying to heal, which gives your soul the opportunity to enlighten itself. In your case I am here to help you open up to Booth, to this little soul and to the possibilities of you having the life your father and I wanted to give you and Russ."

Brennan kept her distance from her mother and the little boy Booth. "So who is he?" she motioned to the boy "Is he Booth's son?"

"He wants to be, but that can't happen unless you cooperate." She looked at her mother "See Tempe you would be his mother and unless you open up, he can't exist. Oh he would go on to another family, but his first choice is you."

"I don't understand"

"We have free will to a point, but once we pick a path there is a loosely followed time line and you, my dear are pushing yours to the breaking point. He" she patted the small boys head "is your second child, but if you don't have your first, you can't have your second."

"Second?"

"Yes, your daughter is very stubborn and angry at you and refused to come to this little meeting."

"Daughter?"

"Yes, she would be the spitting image of you and just as stubborn." Christine smiled.

Brennan frantic to grasp on to something tangible redirects the conversation. "If you are dead how can I touch you, smell your perfume, feel the warmth of your body?"

"All memories you have locked away deep inside your brain." Christine's answer was not helping her regain any sense of control.

"Where is Booth, he can explain it to me, where is he?"

"He isn't here right now, his soul is back with his body, he is alive."

"But he was here, we talked to him."

"Yes he was, his soul was in limbo for a moment, but his body is healing and he had to rejoin it. Sweetheart it will be okay."

"No" Brennan frantically shook her head "No" she reached for her cell and pushed Booth's number, she held it to her ear "answer, answer, please please answer." When his phone went to voice mail, she screamed "BOOTH"

"Bones" came out in a raspy whisper. Booth's eyes opened wide and his breathing was labored. He felt panicked but he didn't know why. "Bones"


	7. Chapter 7

Booth eyes darted around the room as Cam came to his side. "Where's Bones?" he crocked out, his voice still hoarse.

Cam red rimmed eyes starred into her friends eyes knowing she had to tell him something and also knowing he would know if she held anything back. She closed her eyes took a deep breath and took his hand in hers. "I am so sorry Seeley, about 15 minutes ago she was ..."

Booth swallowed hard and starred at Cam with horror written all over his face. He let go of her hand and immediately started to remove the wires and IV's attached to him. He groaned and squeezed his eyes shut through the pain as he started to pull himself up. "Help me up" he growled at Cam.

"No, Seeley, this is crazy you need to lie down."

"I need to see her, she promised. She promised me… she promised she would come back."

"You're not making any sense."

"She isn't dead, she can't be … she promised me. Now either help me or get out of my way." He started to stand and Cam put her hands on his shoulders.

"Okay I will get a wheelchair, just stay here." He nodded slightly as Cam disappeared out the door to find the chair.

Once Cam got him settled in the wheelchair, the door to his room came open and in came his Doctor. "Mr. Booth, what are you doing?"

"I need to see her."

"You are not in any …"

"I am fine and I am going to see my partner." He glared at the doctor. The doctor looked at Booth, who visibly paled and perspiration broke out on his forehead from the pain he was trying to hide.

"Okay, but just for a minute and then right back to bed" Booth nodded absently

Cam breathed a sigh of relief knowing that if he was going to allow her to take Booth down the hall Brennan had been revived. As they approached her door Cam slowed the chair and stopped just before the door. She knelt down in front of Booth. "She looks pretty rough Booth" she held his gaze "just … don't be shocked" He dropped his eyes to his lap and nodded slightly.

Cam rolled Booth up next to Brennan's bed and Booth took in his partner and all the wires and machines she was hooked up to that were aiding in sustaining her life. He slowly reached up cringing as his joints and muscles screamed against this movement. He took her hand "I'm here Bones, I am right here. You stay with me, you promised, remember, you promised and I am holding you to that promise."

Cam's phone vibrated in her pocket and she quietly slipped from the room to answer it. Booth heard the door close and he leaned forward the best he could. "Bones, I know you are with your mother, but you promised to come back to me. I have so much to tell you and talk to you about, you have to come back."

* * *

><p>"Saroyan"<p>

"Hey Sweetheart, Max is on his way to get me, then it should be about an hour for us to get there. How you holding up?"

Cam closed her eyes to hold back the tears "I am okay Pops, but I will sure be glad to see you two."

"How are they?"

"Booth is awake, in considerable amount of pain, but he insisted on seeing her. He is sitting with her right now."

"She still hasn't woke up."

"No, she hasn't" Cam couldn't tell him they almost lost her not with Max driving them in on snow covered roads.

"Okay darlin' just wanted you to know that the roads are getting cleared so hopefully there will be others able to get in there and give you some relief."

"Thanks Pops." Cam smiled a watery smile as she hung up the phone. She opted to stay in the hall a little longer to pull herself back under control. The last thing Seeley needed was to see her, a blubbering fool.

* * *

><p>Brennan had backed herself up to a wall and slid down it, pulling her knees up to her chest and wrapping her arms around her legs. "What is happening?" she said to no one in particular.<p>

Christine sat in front of Brennan and sympathetically watched her daughter. "Please we need to talk." Brennan closed her weary eyes momentarily and then opened them and brought them up to her mothers. Christine smiled in relief and placed her hand on her daughters arm and squeezed gently. She gently pulled her daughter to her feet and led her to the couch in her lab. Miniature Booth climbed up next to Brennan and cast his big round eyes at Christine asking permission to stay. She smiled at him and nodded slightly.

"So where do we begin" Brennan looked at her mother

"At the beginning, the first day you saw him when he walked into your lecture."

"Why then?"

"Because that is when it all started and you need reference points for when you go back to have Booth or Angela help you navigate all this. You will be scared and unsure and you will want to shove everything into a box and you will if you don't have someone to lean on."

"How do you know that I won't compartmentalize when I go back?"

"One, I know you can't shove Booth into a box as easily as you would hope to and two, I have ways of not allowing that to happen."

"So how does this work."

Christine chuckled "There are no rules; we will just take one step at a time." Brennan nodded at her mother and waited for her mother to take the lead. "That first day, the day he came to find you for a consult, he challenged you and he stirred something in you, however, you weren't sure what that feeling was."

"You know what I felt."

"Yes dear I did … do, but only to help you understand those feelings. You know he didn't expect you when he opened that door. He expected a little old grandmother type woman. The moment he saw you, he was smitten."

"Smitten?"

"He liked what he saw very much. He heart beat faster; his soul was raising all sorts of havoc when his soul saw your soul. You liked what you saw as well."

"His structure is very pleasing to look at and he has all the signs of being a good provider, protector, breeder, and mate." Brennan swallowed hard as she realized what she had not said was loud and clear "Anthropologically speaking that is what women look for in a mate and has been that way for thousands of years."

Christine gave her daughter a hearty laugh "Yes, sweetheart we understand he is very appealing. He caused your heart rate to increase when you saw him and caused your breath to catch and even caused you to straighten some and use your physical assets to hold his attention. Then he challenged you for the first time when he asked if you remove the flesh were you not destroying evidence. He intrigued you."

"Yes he did … and he still does … intrigue me … that is … with his intelligence that he hides so well." Brennan continued feeling as if she must explain.

"That is what you need to stop doing."

"What? I was simply stating fact."

"He intrigues you, period. You don't need to explain why, because honestly it is no ones business."

"So you mean short and to the point, as Booth would say."

"His very presence challenged you, not only as an anthropologist, but as a woman. Oh I know you want to deny it but we both know it is true."

"He has always challenged me." A small smile crept up her face as she thought about the bantering they once did almost on a daily basis. "He is very intelligent, but he doesn't flaunt it." Her smile got bigger "I love when he knows what is being said and he puts on his proverbial 'dunce' cap, as he calls it, and pretends he doesn't understand."

"The night he fired you do you remember what he said?"

"We were both very intoxicated and he fired me and then tried to get me to have sex with him."

"Wrong, he fired you because he had no choice, YOU initiated talk of sex and he, being a healthy young man merely agreed, but that is not what I was talking about."

"We didn't say much after that."

"When you were kissing him outside before the cab came."

"That he felt this was going somewhere."

"Yes, he knew, he can't explain how, but he knew then and there you were it for him. Do you remember how you felt?"

Brennan brought her eyes up to her mother "Scared. I didn't know why, but he was different, he has a power over me and no man had ever had that." She looked down "I didn't know how he would use that power if he found out." She dropped her gaze to the little Booth next to her that was now wrapped up against her arm asleep.

"You know he is just as scared right now." Brennan looked at her mother, "He won't put his heart out there again, but he won't turn you down if you offer. You need to make the first move."

"You can't possible … know that. He-he made it … very clear … what was happening now. We are partners" she nodded her head "partners … and I won't do anything to push him out of my life again."

Christine stood up and walked over to the window motioning with her hand as the scene changed to a hospital room. She motioned for Brennan to come stand beside her. Brennan looked down to the where the little Booth was sleeping and he was no longer there. She shook her head and glanced around and there was no sight of him. She slowly approached her mother. As she stared at the scene she realized the person in the bed was her and there was Booth sitting in a wheel chair. He was in visible pain and yet there he sat holding her hand. "Temperance Brennan tell me that man doesn't love you."

"Booth is a good friend …"

"Why do you fight the obvious? The facts are right in front of you and you refuse to acknowledge them. That is so … so … not you. You believe in facts, well honey they are right there in front of you. I suggest you take some action before it is truly too late and you lose everything, that includes what you have now with him. He won't wait forever; he will finally realize what he needs to do." Christine turned and walked back across the office and exited the door.

* * *

><p>"He does love you" a small voice came from behind her. She turned and saw little Booth standing there. "I would really like you to be my mommy, so do you think you could pretend not to be so smart and try not to be broken for a little bit and try it his way?" His soft brown eyes looked up at her through heavy eyelashes.<p>

"I don't know how."

"Yes you do, you just haven't done it in a while." He reached up with his little arms in a motion to be picked up. Brennan looked at him with a perplexed look on her face.

"You want me to pick you up?"

"Please"

"Okay, I have only done this a couple of times; I am not very good at it." She hesitantly picked up the small boy and settled him on her hip. He rested his head on her shoulder and wrapped his small arms around her neck. She stood there absently rocking him and rolling her eyes around. "Now what"

"Stop thinking" is all he said. Slowly she closed her eyes and rested her head against his all the while continuing to rock him. A small smile spread across her lips at the feel of this small child in her arms. She felt something she didn't think she could feel, a love she didn't think she was capable of. "See you do know how. So could you please try it his way?" Brennan pulled him closer and nodded as his little arms tightened around his neck.

Christine stood behind them smiling and knowing everything was as it should be.

The picture of the hospital room still in front of them now involved sound, which Brennan was not sure it had before. Booth struggled to get to his feet as he looked down on her bruised and battered body. As he stood there his voice was a hoarse whisper but Brennan heard it all the same "I love you Bones, I need you. I … I know I hurt you and I don't … please Bones …" Brennan eyes flew open at his confession and she watched helplessly as he collapsed on the ground next to her hospital bed.

"BOOTH" she starred at the screen panicked that she could only watch helplessly as blood started to seep from his body. "Cam need to get to Cam." She turned to her mother "Help" Christine nodded and motioned for her to follow to the door. "That will lead to my apartment."

"Not this time"

"She handed the little Booth to her mother and walked through the door to be in the hallway by Cam."

"Cam you need to go back in there now, please" Cam didn't respond "CAM, PLEASE"

Cam sat in a chair outside the room and Brennan knelt in front of her. "Please Cam, hear me." She went into her room and looked at Booth unconscious on the floor. "Booth wake up, please Booth wake up."

She looked at her body on the bed and turned to find her mother standing behind her. "It's time."


	8. Chapter 8

**CHAPTER 8**

"It's time? Time for what? Booth needs help." Brennan cried as she reached for the call button, forgetting she was unable to push it. She tried repeatedly, panic coursing through her as she saw Booth lying on the floor unconscious and bleeding. "Mother help me, he can't leave Parker, Parker needs … needs him … to show him how to be a man."

Brennan ran out into the hall and stood in front of where Cam was sitting "Cam, please hear me." She squatted down so she was looking directly at her boss "CAM!" Cam put a confused look on her face. Brennan wasn't sure what to make of this facial expression, but she hoped it meant she was getting through.

"Cam?" Cam looked up with exhausted, swollen eyes to find Hodgins and Angela standing in front of her.

"Oh, thank god you are here." She slowly stood and hugged them both "I am so glad to see you."

"Angela, Hodgins I am so glad you are here. Please, Booth needs help." She looked between her three friends and none seemed to hear her. Trying again Angela … ANGELA please hear me." She stumbled backwards as Angela didn't respond, she rushed back into her room and watched helplessly not able to do anything to help Booth.

"How are they?"

"Booth is in there sitting with her now. He started to pull off his monitors and IV's so he could see her. He was determined." She glanced at her watch "He has been in there for close to 45 minutes" she glanced to Jack "Can you help me force him to go rest some?"

"You want me to 'force' Booth? I know he is injured, but he will heal and he will shoot me." Both women rolled their eyes at him and he knew he didn't stand a chance, his boss and his very pregnant wife, he sighed heavily "Sure, I will do my best."

"Dr. Hodgins, he is stubborn, he will glare, the will threaten, but he will finally give in knowing that we are only doing what is best for both of them. And if that doesn't work lie to him, anything to get him to rest."

As they turned to go in the room they could hear the alarm on one of Brennan's monitors going off "Oh god not again" Cam choked out as she pushed open the door. Hodgins, Angela, and Cam barely entered the room when Doctors and nurses came rushing in and one younger nurse started trying to usher them out when Cam shoved past her and yelled for someone to get extra help as she knelt beside Booth.

* * *

><p>Hodgins turned and pulled his near hysterical wife out of the room and started down the hall when they came face to face with Max and Pops. Both older men looked at Angela and then Hodgins. Hodgins eyes were full of tears when he choked out "They are doing everything they can."<p>

"For who?" Max demanded

"Both of them" Hodgins looked at the con with a look of disbelief on his face. _We could lose them both; we could lose Booth and Brennan. Oh my God, this can't be happening, this … no … they are to strong for this. _ Jack tried to snap out of his own thoughts as he saw both older men talking but couldn't hear anything but his wife sobs and his own blood rushing through this head.

Max grabbed Hodgins by one arm shaking him lightly "Hey Jack, we need you right now, come on talk to us."

"Huh?" He continued to hold Angela against him, her head buried in his shoulder and her body was convulsing with her sobs.

"Come on Hodgie lets go sit down and talk." Pops urged "Get that wife of yours off her feet and calm her down." Hodgins just nodded

Max left the others for a moment and came back. "There is a waiting room right down here where we can have some privacy and they will come get us when they know anything." He led the way as Pops walked next to Angela lightly rubbing his coarse hand up and down her arm.

* * *

><p>Brennan backed away as people came rushing into the room and started to work on her broken body. Light tears ran down her face as she moved to her mother, "I'm ready" she swallowed hard as she took her mothers hand.<p>

"Ready for what dear?"

"You said "It was time or rather It's time" I was assuming that you meant for me to go with you. And in all those religious movies someone always sacrifices themselves for someone else. I am assuming my body is dying which means I am sacrificing myself so that Booth could be helped and return to Parker."

"Who knew you watched those movies Bones."

"BOOTH? No … you … go back" she pointed to his body "you are not suppose to be here … you … no … this isn't suppose to happen."

"I'm not going without you."

"No, you have to … Parker needs you. He needs his father … he … he needs you to show him how to be a man … a-a goo-good man."

"Not leaving without you Bones."

Tears began to run down her face "You can't do that to Parker, I know what it is like not to have my parents, my father, you can't do that to him. Please Booth."

"No"

"Booth you need to go back" she glanced at his body as they lifted it up onto a gurney to move him. Booth looked over at her body and began shaking his head. "Please Booth."

"Nope, not without you" he held out his hand to her "Take my hand Bones." He stared intently at her.

"Booth it is the only way. Please don't make this any harder than it has to be."

"Bones, I can't live without you and I won't. So get a hold of your mother or whoever and tell them I am not leaving without you."

"Booth, you know that this is not something we have control over. Now please before it is too late. Mother …" She glanced around and her mother was gone. He glared at her pulling his mouth into a thin line, crossed his arms and shook his head. "Fine, then I will go wherever this door leads" she went out the door to her room and ended up back in her office. Booth attempted to follow and ended up in the hall of the hospital.

"Bones Dammit, don't you do this!" He looked around, his anger slowly turning to sadness. "Please Bones … Please." He stood sadly looking around the hallway outside of her room "I AM NOT GOING BACK WITHOUT HER! DO YOU HEAR ME?"

* * *

><p>Cam was just about to open the door to the small waiting room when Sweets arrived. Sweets noticed how worried she looked "Dr. Saroyan" Cam turned towards him and gave him a sad smile "How are they doing?"<p>

"I was just about to talk to the others, so come on in and I will fill you in."

Cam and Sweets stepped into the waiting room and all eyes turned to Cam, all asking the same silent question. She took a deep breath and released it slowly as she looked the faces around her that had become so much more than employees, they became her friends. "Dr. Brennan is back on the ventilator, under guarded condition. This is the third time, since the accident, she has gone into cardiac arrest. Right now with her it is touch and go. They have taken Booth back into surgery to repair the stitches he managed to rip out. He will most likely be just fine; he just got up too soon."

"Can't Tempe breathe on her own?" Max's face had turned white as he listened to Cam

"There is no reason she shouldn't be able to … the ventilator is a precaution, to take some of the stress off her body to allow it to heal." Cam's large brown eyes locked with Max's as she fought the urge to cry. "The air bags had deployed prior to the main accident, so she has some considerable bruising from being tossed around upon impact and she was impaled with what sounds like it was a piece of metal striping from the truck they hit."

Cam swallowed hard and turned to Pops "Seeley has internal injuries caused from the impact of the steering wheel being shoved into his torso and pinning him against his seat. He really should not have been sitting up, but he was adamant about seeing her." She blinked several times "He kept saying she wasn't dead, she promised, she promised she would come back to him."

Sweets wrapped his arm around Cam and she turned into the younger man and allowed him to give her comfort, a comfort she had needed for the last 2 days. Sweets gently moved her over to a couple of empty chairs and sat down with her. He never said a word just allowed her to cling to him and gently rubbed her back. The silence in the small room was deafening until Max could not take anymore and announced he was going to find the chapel and anyone that wanted to join him was more than welcome.

As the whole group moved towards the Chapel Max broke the silence "They are both young and strong, they will be just fine." He was staring at Pops when the older man raised his eyes to Max's. Both men nodded slowly, an unspoken understanding had been reached that they needed to keep the hope alive in the small group, even if neither of them were sure how this would turn out.

Pops and Max knelt down and bowed their heads as they silently prayed to themselves, even Hodgins knelt and folded him hands and asked God for his grace to watch over their family members.

"Jack"

"Angela, shhh … praying here."

"Ummm Okay, but Brennan doesn't believe in this."

"Doesn't matter Babe, I am still praying for her."

"Okay." Angela glanced around the small dark room they were in. She spoke to this god in her mind _"Okay God, if you exist, which I kind of believe you do, here is the deal. You really need to send Booth and Brennan back. I know Brennan doesn't exactly believe in you, but she is a good person and with Booth they, I mean we, the whole team, does good work and the team isn't complete without them, they are the center. They can't live without the other, just like we, humans, not you exactly, but you know what I mean, we need air to survive; they need each other, even if they are sort of stubborn about admitting it. If you would looks at an alternate reality if one didn't return from this, you would so see that I am right and you would be wrong for taking one or both of them from us. So please think this through before you start collecting souls. Thank you or Amen, whatever it is they say, you understand." _She smiled up at the ceiling of the church.

* * *

><p>Temperance stood in her office and stared at the now normal wall. She walked over and motioned with her hand like her mother had to no avail. <em>"Either I can't do it or it is done and my body has died." <em>Taking several cleansing breaths she tried to come to terms with the fact that her body had died and what she had believed she had known her whole life about religion was wrong or was it. Maybe it wasn't totally wrong, maybe just as the Indians and other tribes throughout history believed she was in another plane. Maybe life was continuing on around her, only she couldn't see it and they couldn't see her.

She found herself sitting on her couch wondering if she had any concept of time or rather if time followed the same rules as during her living life. Could she have been sitting in this spot for months not realizing that maybe someone had taken her place as the lead forensic anthropologist at the Jeffersonian. It was at this moment she realized she had no conscious reality of day or night, so at this very moment in an alternate universe it could be the beginning of her replacements workday.

She looked at her desk and her chair and realized someone could be sitting in that very sport right now. Gingerly she made her way to her desk and slowly sat in her chair to see if she could pick up any possible displacement between her reality and an alternate one.

As she sat tears ran down her face, slowly at first and then faster until there was a steady stream. She said numbly in her chair and just let the tears coarse down her face. "I did love him more than life itself" she choked out. Her once silent sobbing was now beginning to wrack her body with the pain she was feeling. She placed her arms on her desk and buried her head in them while she allowed herself to release all the pain that had been locked away inside of her "I did love you Booth, I did … love you."

Christine stood off to one side smiling gently, her voice soft and soothing when she spoke. "Let it out, this pain will be gone soon."

* * *

><p>Max leaned heavily on the pew in front of him praying that his daughter would survive this. He had lost his wife and going on without her would have been impossible if he would not have had Temperance and Russ to keep tabs on and make sure they were safe. If he lost her now that they had just gotten each other back he didn't know if he could physically or emotionally survive it. Him and Russ were close, but there is a special bond between a father and his little girl and even though he had abandoned her all those years ago, what they had was special, once she allowed him back into her life.<p>

Pops while faithful was also angry. His shrimp didn't deserve this, he had had a rough go at life and just once he deserved something to go his way. Pops knew that if Brennan didn't make it, Booth would never be the same. He knew Booth loved Brennan, but he could never figure out why he didn't tell her, he did know that if they both pulled through this he would not rest until those two admitted their feelings to each other. They held each other at arms length almost afraid that if they ever stepped across that line it would cause some natural disaster. Their painful childhoods kept them from the happiness they could find in each other.

Christine sat down in the pew in front of the small group and slightly to the side of Max. She gazed at him as she had for many years and it never got old. She loved him as much now as she did that first time she saw him. Max rested his elbows on the pew and had his hand folded in front of him. Christine raised her hand and rubbed it down his arm from his elbow to come to rest over his folded hands. He lifted his head and stared at his hands. She looked back at him and smiled "Oh Max she is so much like you. I missed out on a lot, but at least she has you." He lowered his head and brought his still joined hands up to his forehead. Christine wrapped her arms around him the best she could and rested her head on his arm. "She will be okay Max, she is coming back, she just needed to let go of the pain. When she does, help her to tell him." As she spoke Max raised his head with a confused and slightly concerned look on his face.

He turned to the others, "Did any of you hear anything?" The whole group turned and looked at him and shook their heads "I could have swore that ... that I heard Tempe's mother."

"Okay" Cam drug out the word as her eyes showing her bewilderment.

Without explanation a sense of peace filled Max and he continued to look at the small group. "I don't know how to tell you this, but I think Christine just let me know that Tempe will be okay. I just feel she is going to be fine."


	9. Chapter 9

**Thank everyone for your reviews, sorry I can't answer each one, time does not allow it. But I do read each of them and although I know I am suppose to write for myself, those reviews help keep the writing juices flowing. **

**I hope you enjoy this next chapter. **

* * *

><p>The small unconventional family took turns sitting with Brennan and then Booth once he was back in his room after surgery. Sweets took Cam home to rest and was under strict orders from Pops he was not to let her come back until she had eaten and slept.<p>

Angela took the first watch with Brennan. Hodgins only agreed because he knew there was no way he would convince his wife to leave her best friend just now. Angela did promise that after she would go home and rest for the remainder of the night.

As Angela sat with Brennan she talked to her friend, not really knowing if Brennan could hear her, but hearing a voice, even her own, was comforting. "Oh Sweetie look at your arms, you need some lotion. Let me see what I have" Angela said as she pulled her oversize bag onto her lap. As she dug through her purse "I know I have something in here, this hospital air is not good for the skin … Ah here it is." She placed her bag down and stood next to her friends' bed. "I am not sure what they do to the air in these places but it sucks all the moisture out of your skin."

She put some of the lotion in one hand and sat the bottle down on the table over Brennan's bed. She rubbed the lotion between her hands to warm it a little and then started to massage it into Brennan's arm. "I bet that feels better, nothing better than lotion and a massage. Well unless of course that massage is coming from the hands of a particular FBI Agent." Angela smiled down at her friend. "Maybe now that Hannah is gone, you and Booth …" she lowered her friends arm and walked around the bed to put lotion on her other arm "you know, maybe you two can try. At least I hope you will, you deserve some happiness. Sweetie I know he loves you; he is just protecting himself, much like you have been protecting yourself for years. If nothing else I hope this accident makes you realize you can't waste another day being scared."

After she finished rubbing lotion into Brennan's legs she leaned down and kissed her friend on the cheek "I better go before Hodgins carries me out of here, but I will be back tomorrow and I expect you to be here waiting for me, preferably awake, but I will take what I can get." Angela waddled out into the hall and greeted Max and her husband. "I left some lotion in there; something about the air in these places just dries the skin out." Max nodded and hugged Angela before turning to go sit with his daughter.

Hodgins was sitting with Booth. "You know man you and Dr. B are the center, you told me that once, remember? You two are the center, the center must hold. When you guys ran from each other we all fell apart, it was only when you two came back that we all came back together. Man ... you can't leave us, we need you. Dr. B needs you. I don't know what happened to you guys, but you ran like hell from each other and you know ... man I don't get it. It is so obvious you love each other. I just hope when you come back you don't waste another day."

Hodgins had been with Booth for a while until Pops came in. No matter how much Hodgins tried to coax the older man, Pops was not leaving this hospital till his shrimp woke up. Hodgins did get him to agree to at least ask for a cot to sleep on for the night.

* * *

><p>"Temperance what are you doing?"<p>

"Wondering how much time has past and whose office this could be now."

"What?"

"I tried to do that hand thing you did and it did not work. I am not sure if I am just not suppose to do it or if my body has died." She paused for a minute before continuing "If my body has died I was just preparing myself for the thought of possibly feeling my replacement mulling around my office … and wondering how Booth is holding up."

"Temperance you are not leaving, you just needed to deal with the pain of your father and me leaving."

"I don't understand."

"Honey, you held onto that pain so tightly that an atom bomb could not have dislodged it. You needed to release it so you could admit you can feel love, that you want to be loved, and that you do love."

"I still don't understand, I love, I love Angela, Hodgins, and Cam and even Sweets sometimes."

"And Booth?"

"Yes, I love Booth, we are partners and I want him to be happy." Her mother crossed her arms, tipped her head to the side in annoyance, and pursed her lips. Temperance looked nervously at her mother "I am not good at expressing my feelings in front of others." She looked at her mother as if what she said had pacified her only to be met with a pointed stare. She sighed heavily and moved her mouth several times "I … love Booth." She nervously shuffled between one leg and the other "I … am …" she swallowed hard "inlovewithBooth" the words came tumbling out of her mouth as if falling over each other. She crossed her arms and straightened up facing her mother "Happy now?"

Christine smiled gently at her "Then you will tell him when you get back?"

Temperance brought her eyes to her mothers again nervously shifting her weight from one leg to the other, "Yes, but what if he doesn't feel the same. I tried after he came back with Hannah and he reminded me he moved on and she was not a consolation prize."

"He is waiting for you; he is refusing to go back without you. Do you really think those are the actions of a man that doesn't love you?"

"Mom, I need time … I missed one chance with him, what if …"

"Stop" Christine crossed the floor and hugged her daughter "Go to him, tell him."

"What if I need to talk to you?" Brennan eyes filled as she stared at her mother

"I am always here baby, you can ask me anything, only you will have to listen for my answer in your heart. Now no more excuses go, go to him and love him."

She watched her daughter walk away and stopped her at the last second, "Tell your father I love him and that I was in the chapel." Brennan looked confused at her mother "He will understand. Now go my baby girl. I love you." Brennan turned and headed out the door of her office to end up in the hallway outside of her room.

* * *

><p>There sitting on the floor next to her door, his knees pulled up and his forehead resting on them was the one man that could challenge her. "Booth"<p>

His head jerked up at her voice "Bones"

"I need to talk to you."

"You coming back, because if you … if you aren't coming back, then there is nothing to discuss."

"Mother told me I am going back."

He closed his eyes and breathed a long slow breath of air in relief; she was going back with him. He took a step towards her "Come On, let's go." he held out his hand to her.

"Booth I need to talk to you first."

He licked his lips and took another step towards her "Can't it wait. Not that I … I don't want to talk to you, just don't want God to change his mind and decide to keep you."

"Booth, I don't think that will happen …" she glanced around not as sure as she had hoped.

"What do you want to tell me?"

She stared straight at his chest as she tried to form the sentence in her head. She glanced nervously up to his eyes once and then back to his chest. As she opened her mouth to speak he was being pulled away from her. "Booth, what is happening?" She reached for him and couldn't get to him. "Booth"

"Bones, Bones,go to your body, please baby go to your body." He then disappeared.

Temperance stood in the quiet hall outside of her room scared, alone, and for some irrational reason felt abandoned even though she knew that to be false. She took a deep breath and blinked back the tears forming in her eyes and walked through the door into her room.

She stood and watched her father tenderly giving her arms, legs, and face a sponge bath. He brushed her hair and applied some of the lotion that Angela had left. "Tempe, please don't leave, I don't know what I would do without you. I know things between us are not what they could be, but we got something here, you and me, something that I think could develop more so we could be closer. We have come a long way, but we still have a long way to go."

Brennan looked over to the corner and caught her mother standing and watching Max with so much love in her eyes that she was sure even death couldn't keep him from feeling it. "Mother?"

She smiled sadly at her daughter. "Make every minute count baby, don't have any regrets." Her mother faded from her view.

Brennan felt a tug and then it stopped, she looked around for the cause, but there was none, then she felt it again only this time stronger. She was being pulled towards her body, gently but firmly. She didn't resist, didn't want to resist, she was ready to go back. She smiled as her soul reconnected with her body.

She could hear Max talking, but it was like listening from under water, she couldn't make out what he was saying at first, but slowly his voice became clearer. "I love you baby, we all love you." Her eyes fluttered slightly, Max froze, it took a moment before he could form a word "Tempe?" her eyes fluttered again and opened to slits. "Tempe, can you hear me baby?" He rushed to the door, pulled it open and hurriedly yelled at the person in the nurses' station "She is waking up." Back at her side he rubbed his hand over her head as held her hand in his other one. "Tempe?" his eyes watching hers waiting to see if she would respond.


	10. Chapter 10

A nurse came in and immediately joined Max next to Brennan. "Dr. Brennan can you hear me?" Brennan's eyes remained fixed on the ceiling.

"Baby, squeeze my hand if you can hear me?" Max coaxed, but she continued to stare at the ceiling. She could hear them, she understood, but processing what they were saying and what they wanted was suddenly in very slow motion.

She very lightly squeezed Max's hand as she tried to speak. She became aware of something in her throat. "She is fighting the tube. Dr. Brennan, you are intubated, stop fighting the tube." She felt herself convulse against the object in her throat as the words sunk in and she slowly started to relax. "That's it Dr. Brennan, you know it is a good sign she is fighting it, means she should breath okay on her own. I am going to get her doctor in here and see if we can get that removed."

Max watched the nurse leave and then turned his focus back to his daughter "You hear that, she is going to see if they can get that tube out of you." He smiled down at her as her eyes opened a little wider now and she slowly turned them to see him. Her vision was like auto focus camera lens, trying to focus on her fathers face as it was going in and out of focus as her eyes adjusted to being open again. "You don't know how good it is to see those beautiful eyes again. You scared us all pretty good." She squeezed his hand tighter as she continued to stare up into his face.

As the doctor and nurse came back in Max was ushered out of the room while they took care of his daughter. He found himself walking into Booth's room a short minute later.

* * *

><p>Pops looked up and saw the look of relief on Max's face. "She's okay?"<p>

Max nodded "She is awake, doctor is in with her now. How is he?"

"About the same; But he is strong and I have faith in him."

Max walked up beside the bed "Hey Booth, she is awake. Now get off your ass and wake up." Pops chuckled at the con, Max looked at Pops and smiled. "Sounds silly doesn't it, but maybe if he can hear me and knows she is awake he will wake up again."

Both men sat in silence for a few moments "You know Hank when they get released; they are going to need someone to take care of them."

"I am aware of that. I took care of Shrimp here his whole life and I have no problem taking care of him again." Hank eyed Max wondering why he brought that up.

"I know that, but you know I was thinking it would be easier for us to work together rather than you at Booth's and me at Tempe's." A glint came to Max's eye. "Hank, these two need each other and it would just be wrong of us to not encourage that ... to aid in their recovery."

"Are you suggesting … what I think you are suggesting?" He couldn't suppress the smile that was creeping across his face.

Max gave Hank the look of pure innocence "I was just thinking about us, you and me, we aren't spring chickens anymore Hank, we could share the duties. Tempe's place is spacious and less obstacles for them to navigate while they are getting back on their feet. Tempe's room is big enough to add another bed and there is the guest room that you and I could share."

"Hmmm, I see your point; Shrimps place is more cluttered, but also gives them more things to hang onto if they have problems walking. But I seem to remember Seeley telling me about a dual head shower that Temperance has?" He glanced at Max for collaboration.

"Booth knows about that?"

"Apparently they got all muddy or something during a case and he showered over there."

"Uh huh" Max nodded making a mental note he was going to have to ask the FBI agent about that little incident. "So what do you think Hank, would be easier on us old folks."

"You got a deal." Both men smiled at each other and then slipped back into their comfortable silence.

* * *

><p>Another half an hour and Max returned to Brennan's room smiling as he watched his daughters eyes greet him. He walked over to the bed, bending down he placed a kiss on her forehead. "I am so happy to see those eyes again. I was so worried about you honey." She moved her mouth as if she wanted to say something and he stopped her "Shhh let your voice rest. I'll be here."<p>

She swallowed and crinkled her brow due to the discomfort of the action. "No" came out in a raspy voice. "Tell you mother was in chapel." Her blue eyes locked onto the identical blue eyes of her father, his lips slightly parted as he processed what she said. Her voice fluctuated between being raspy and a whisper "She said you would understand." A small smile touched his lips as he slowly nodded to his daughter.

"Booth?" came out in a hoarse whisper and she cringed as her throat reminded her how raw it still was.

"Pops is sitting with him. He still has not come around after his second surgery, but you know Booth, he is just waiting for the perfect time."

The short time she was awake had been tiring for her and adding the extra strain of producing words out of a very sore through caused Brennan's eyes to grow heavy. Before he eyes closed against her will she reached for her fathers hand and held onto it as she drifted off to sleep.

Max sat there smiling thinking about the chapel, how he felt arms around him, felt her hand on his hands, but couldn't see anything. I didn't want to tell anyone, I mean come on how do you tell people your dead wife is next to you hugging you. But he felt her and then the sense of peace he felt shortly after her embrace. He had been right she was letting him know Tempe would be okay. Even in death his Christine was looking out for them.

He also felt something else, the sadness of her not being there and the years of loneliness he had endured since her death. No one knew that the first six months after she was killed he was very close to joining her, but then his sense of duty and love to his children prevailed and possibly a little push from Christine kept him in this world to do what he knew he had to, protect their children.

He leaned back in his chair, never letting go of his daughters hand and for the first time in the last couple of days he managed to take a nap.

* * *

><p>Down the hall Pops kept vigil at Booth's bed willing his grandson to wake up, but as the minutes ticked off into hours, he was beginning to worry. Seeley had awoken once, but not since he collapsed in Brennan's room. Pops fought with his own mind, which was considering the worse. Pops stared down at his hands; it wasn't suppose to be this way, he wasn't suppose to be by his grandson's bed waiting for him to possibly die.<p>

He shook himself erasing the image of a casket from his brain. He told himself no mentally, his grandson would be just fine. He was big and strong, he was an army ranger for Christ sakes, he went through hell over there and had been tortured and he came back. This little accident couldn't keep him down. Pops looked up with water eyes as the door to the room opened. "Hey Mr. Booth How is he?" Sweets asked as he slipped in.

"Hey Kid. You can see for yourself, not much has changed since they brought him back from surgery last night."

"Mr. Booth …"

"Call me Pops, everyone else does."

"Oh Okay Pops. Why don't you go get some rest and I will sit with him."

"Not leaving him. Not until he wakes up."

"Oh okay … umm do you mind if I sit with you?"

"Seeley says you get all shrinky on him, your not …" he was looking at the young man and shaking his head slightly.

"No, no. I just … Dr. Brennan and Agent Booth are different than anyone else that I deal with, they are more like family.

Pops chuckled, "You know they call you baby duck right?"

"Yeah, they mentioned it." He raised his eyes brows to Pops "not to me mind you, they were doing that thing they do, where they talk to each other like the third person is not there." Sweets smiled at the memory "I never told them but for them to give me that nickname was fitting. "He glanced at Pops "I did imprint on them, kids or people from similar backgrounds, for the most part, find their own kind. They were my own kind."

"You know Seeley thinks a lot of you. He just isn't good with feelings."

Sweets smiled, "I knew about the feelings part. Look at him and Dr. Brennan, neither of them will admit they are in love, but … I never knew they cared about me."

"Oh he will never tell you in so many words, but I am sure as time goes on you will see it."

"I think I have seen it some, but thank you for telling me."

A groan came from the bed and both men head snapped towards Booth. As they noticed an arm move they both rose and almost jumped to the side of his bed. "Shrimp?"

"Bones" came out in not much more than a breath."

Pops smiled down at him, "Max was here a little while ago, she is awake."

"See her?"

"No you are not doing that again, you pulled a bunch of stitches out and they had to take you back to surgery. You are going to rest."

"Please" Booth crocked out

"NO" Pops raised his eyes brows to his grandson showing this conversation was over. Booth's eyes were slits, but he still showed his annoyance when he looked at his grandfather. "You can glare all you want Seeley, it didn't do you any good as a kid and it won't now." Booth didn't have the strength to argue, he was just happy she was awake, she was back, he was back, everything would return to normal.


	11. Chapter 11

**I debated whether to jump forward to them at home or to build up. While it would be easy to jump forward I was afraid I might lose something doing that. And then I decided Pops and Max have to have time to prepare, so they needed to stay in the hospital a little longer. **

* * *

><p>The next 24 hours passed without incident, both Booth and Brennan had been allowed to sit up in their rooms for a few hours before being ushered back to bed, but not before both of them had their say about being kept apart.<p>

"What do you mean I can't go see Bones, Pops?"

"Seeley, you need to get a little stronger, last time you went you passed out and ripped out a bunch of stitches."

"I will be careful, I won't stand up this time, I will just sit with her and and … and she is awake this time." Booth blew out some air as he eyed his grandfather.

Pops looked at his grandson and sighed heavily. "You whine just as bad now as you did when you were a kid and it still is not going to get me to change my mind."

"Since I can't see her now, when can I see her."

Pops smirked "You sure are anxious to see her."

Booth suddenly felt exposed. "She is my partner, I-I I am suppose to protect her and sh-she was hurt while in my care."

"You were in a car accident; I hardly thinks that counts as your fault."

Pops got up out of his chair and was standing by the side of Booth's bed. "You know Shrimp when you leave here, you are going to need someone to take care of you."

"I will be just fine Pops."

"Will you hush and let me finish?" Pops furrowed his brow at Booth

Booth swallowed hard and angled his face away from his grandfather, but looked up with with big round eyes out from under his heavy brow "Yes Sir."

"As I was saying, you will need someone to be with you and help you out. We could hire someone, but I know you, you are not to keen on having a stranger wandering around in your stuff."

Booth just looked at his grandfather, not saying a word, just waiting for him to continue. "Max and I thought that we could combine efforts and take care of you and Tempe together."

"Together …?"

"I am not done yet." Booth closed his mouth and gave him grandfather a look that was part annoyed and part panic. "Tempe has plenty of room; Max said her bedroom is large enough to put another bed in."

"WHA…?"

Pops stared at his grandson "Max and I could share the guest room and we could rent you a hospital bed for Temperance's room."

"I … we will be just fine Pops, just you and me." He stared down at his hands, how his own grandfather could want to put him and her through that. Not like he knew how much they hurt each other, but after everything that had happened between them, he didn't want to see her hurt anymore. He loved her to much for that.

"Seeley, Max and I aren't young anymore; this would be beneficial to us as your care givers until you are able to care for yourselves without assistance."

"What does Bones think about this?"

"I don't think Max has told her yet."

"Well she must not know or she would be storming in here telling us all how she can take care of herself." Booth grumbled. He tried crossing his arms over his chest for effect and winced as pain seared through his chest.

The door to the room opened and both men looked up as Hodgins slipped in. "Hey Booth, mind some company. Ange is down the hall with Dr. B."

"Hey Hodgins glad to see you."

* * *

><p>Down in Brennan's room a similar scene was taking place. "I don't understand why I can't see Booth. If I am able to sit up, in an uncomfortable chair I might add. I should be able to sit up in a wheelchair that can be wheeled down to Booth's room."<p>

"Tempe, you would tire easily which could set you back in the healing department." Max looked at his daughter with a confident look

"That is just ridiculous; I would not get any more tired in a wheel chair in Booth's room then I would sitting up in this chair here. I feel that you are only stalling now to finish off the amount of time the doctor wanted me to sit up so that you can get me back to bed before I can see Booth.

"Tempe you will be able to see plenty of him in a few days." Max suddenly stiffened as he realized what he said

"What did you say? I don't know what that means, in a few days we will be home and we will not be able to see each other as I am sure neither one of us will be in any condition to travel to the diner or each others apartments."

Max knew if she was going to be released in a couple of days he needed to tell her of his plan. "Sweetheart, when you are released they are going to want someone to be with you and while I know you would prefer Angela, she is very pregnant and the stress would not be good for her."

"While Angela is my best friend, that does not mean I would prefer her to care for me. I would very much like if you were the one that was there. However, I would prefer Angela to help me bath."

"Well Honey you know Hank and I aren't young anymore and you and Booth will need a lot of help."

"Dad if you need to hire someone to help you or to help Pops, that would be perfectly okay and I am well off, I could pay for it. If you tell Booth he would not agree to allow me to pay …"

"Tempe let me finish" She nodded at him "Pops and I thought that we would join forces and care for you two together." He looked at her to see if there was any understanding

"I don't understand."

"Your room is large enough to put another bed in and Hank and I can share the guest room."

"Are you suggesting that Booth and I share a bedroom?"

"Actually no, I am telling you, this is the easiest way and whether you want to admit it or not having Booth around could aid in both of your recoveries. And it isn't like we are putting you in the same bed" he stopped and glanced at her his eyes sparkling "unless of course you want to share a bed with Booth."

"DAD!"

"Just asking." He held up his hands in defense. "You and Booth are both saying you are just partners. If that is so then this should not be a problem and that way you would not have strangers coming to take care of you."

He had a point; she had not been looking forward to dealing with strangers in her home and touching her. However, she was also not sure about sharing a room with Booth. Her feelings for him were still strong and while she had been able to keep boxed up after that night, the night he rejected her, it would be increasingly difficult if he was in such close proximity. "How does Booth feel about this?"

"I don't think Hank has told him yet." Brennan stared at him with the, _you better tell him before he finds out on his own look_. "You know sweetheart I think I will just go and talk to Hank and see if he has told Booth" Max slipped out of the room and away from the penetrating gaze of his daughter.

Once Max was out of the room Brennan stared up at her ceiling. Something was pulling at the corners of her mind, something she was suppose to do, but she couldn't quite pull it from it's hiding place in her mind. It had to do with Booth, she knew that much, but what it was eluded her. Oh well, worrying about it would not make her remember it any faster if there was anything to remember. She didn't think her and Booth has any cases that hadn't been finished and as far as she knew nothing occurred recently that she needed to make him aware of.

* * *

><p>Just as Max was heading down the hall he found a very pregnant Angela waddling towards him. A large smile crossed his face, there was nothing like the glow of a pregnant woman. He held out his hands to her and pulled her in for a hug. "Hey beautiful, how are you two?" He glanced down at her distended belly<p>

"I am more than ready for this little one to make an appearance, but we are fine Max. How is Bren?"

"She is awake and I am sure she would enjoy your company. It has to be considerable better than that of her old father. I was just heading down to check on Booth, and then I might go to Tempe's to clean up and take a nap since you are here."

Angela smiled at him "The last few days have been tough on you. Hodgins is down with Booth, maybe you could get Pops to go with you? she asked hopefully. Cam and Sweets will be here later, so you two could relax some before coming back.

"I will do my best." He started down the hall and turned back "Don't let her try to talk you into letting her see Booth. She has sat up for as long as the doctors want her to, she needs to rest now."

Angela never turned around, but held her hand up in understanding "See you later Max."

As Max collected the older Booth he couldn't help but feel the intent stare of the younger Booth that bore into him. "What Booth?"

"Did you tell Tempe of your" he motioned between the two older men "plan?"

"Yes, I did if you must know."

"And?" Booth continued to stare. Hodgins felt like he was watching a tennis match in slow motion.

"She wasn't thrilled, but did agree to the practicality of it."

"What plan?" Hodgins asked innocently

"She agreed? Bones agreed?"

"She did." Max locked eyes with the agent and then rubbed his hands together as he turned to Hank "Come on Hank we have a reprieve we can go get cleaned up and get some real food before coming back."

The older men left the room as Booth continued to stare after them "Wow, what was that about Man." Hodgins eyed Booth as he swiped one of the puddings on Booth's bed table.

"This two have decided to take care of Bones and me together … at her place … putting an extra bed in her bedroom."

Hodgins eyes had gotten increasingly large as Booth spit out their little plot. "Whoa dude." Hodgins couldn't help but chuckle.

"Shut up Hodgins."


	12. Chapter 12

The next day the doctors had both patients up and walking. Nurses were to be with them at all times during their walks. Booth was insistent his legs worked just fine and that his injuries did not interfere with that, however, not that he would admit it; his gait was more a shuffle then a confident step.

Brennan's injury was such that when she lifted her left leg she could feel the pulling and pain in her side where she had been impaled, so rather than walking she was stepping with her right leg and more or less dragging her left.

As she shuffled down the hall Angela on one side of her and her nurse on the other pushing the pole that contained Brennan's IV fluids that fueled her body. She had not yet been allowed solid food. The walk was silent as it took all of Tempe's energy to push through the pain in her side and keep going. She would look up occasionally checking her route, making sure that she was not going to run into anything. She was approaching a corner and rather than cut the corner and risk colliding with another patient in her predicament she chose to turn the corner on the outside.

As she looked up to check where she was walking she saw him. "Booth"

A large smile lit up his face when he saw her "Hey, Bones"

"How are you feeling Booth?" her eyes were not as clear as normal, probably due to the pain medication and the discomfort.

"Pretty good, you look like you are doing better than the last time I saw you." He let his eyes wander only momentarily.

"I am doing better, however; still have some discomfort in both my internal and external abdominal obliques along with my transverse abdominus causing my left leg …"

"To drag" He almost chuckled; not at her injury, but at the fact he was able to listen to her explain in her own way why she was dragging her leg.

They both stood there and stared at each other for a long time, both nervous as if they wanted to say something to the other, but not really knowing what it was. "Can we have a moment please?" Booth shifted his eyes to all of the nurses and then to Angela waiting for them to back away before he shuffled up to her.

"Bones, I am glad you are okay. Don't do that again, I thought I lost you."

She gave him a sympathetic smile "But you didn't, I am right here, right besides you, metaphorically of course"

He smiled a real smile at her "Of course"

"where I always have been and where I always will be." She gave him a tight smile as her eyes were drawn back to the dark depths of his.

"Bones … you sure about this" he leaned closer to her "us recuperating at your place?"

"Yes, while at first I disagreed, however, my father came up with some very compelling arguments, the most compelling was his and Pops' age. He is correct, they are in their advanced years and the stress of caring for us could be very difficult for them."

"Bones, we won't stay any longer than is absolutely necessary. As soon as I am back on my feet, we will go back to my place."

"There is no hurry Booth. We have spent considerable time in each others company in the past and I do not find it unpleasant."

Booth creased his brow "Thanks Bones, I think" his eyes darted back and forth "Oh … ummm by the way."

"Yes Booth"

"Have you by chance bought a TV?"

"No."

"Oh."

"However, I know how attached you are to having a TV. I will ask my father to purchase one and have it delivered and set up."

"Oh no Bones … I can live without a TV. You don't need to do that."

"You have been pressuring me for years to get one … this would be …"

"I have not pressured you … strongly urged yes, but I have never pressured you to get a TV."

"Whatever you want to call it Booth, you want me to get a TV, this would be as good as time as any."

"Thanks Bones."

"You're welcome Booth."

* * *

><p>Over the next week whenever Max and Pops were not holding vigil by Booth and Brennan they were getting ready for their home coming. Brennan made the mistake of telling Max to get anything he deemed necessary for hers and Booth's care. Brennan had told her attorney to assure her father had access to her funds, something she might come to regret.<p>

Max and Pops knew Booth and Brennan belonged together, they knew they were holding their feelings for each other in. Max blamed himself for Brennan holding in her feelings, if he wouldn't have left her, if he would have went back for her, if, if, if…

Pops knew Booth never let his feelings for Brennan surface because he was afraid of losing her, afraid of losing what they have. Afraid to hear her confirm she didn't love him that way. So he continually tried fill that void with women who he could never feel that way for. He tried to build a life with Hannah, without losing Brennan; however, he didn't realize that life with Hannah was a lie, a lie he would have continued with if she would have said yes.

What neither Max nor Pops knew was that both at one time or another each had confessed their feelings to the other. Each had rejected the other, each had regretted that decision. Each was not going to lose what they were slowly rebuilding now that Hannah was gone. Each would prefer to have the other as their best friend and partner rather than not to have the other at all.

Max got Brennan's list of food she liked and that had been approved by her doctor for her first week home. Pops in turn wrote out a list of Booth's favorite things and was slightly let down when he realized her would not be able to make his grilled cheese sandwiches just yet for the kids. Until Brennan was able to expand the foods she was able to eat, Max and Pops both frowned at the limited choices they had.

Max found a futon to put in Brennan's room; he assumed it would be much more comfortable for Booth. He found a sale on TV's and he bought 2, a 51" for the living room and a 32" for Brennan's bedroom, which were delivered and installed a couple of days before Booth and Brennan were to arrive and allowed time to have the cable hooked up. When Pops raised his eyebrows at Max's purchase, Max simply smiled and said that he was doing what was best for the kids recovery.

* * *

><p>Brennan had just been dropped off at her room by Booth from their afternoon walk around the floor. She watched him slowly walk down the hall when she was startled by the voice behind her.<p>

"Hey Sweetie, enjoying the view?" Brennan didn't need to look at her friend to see the smile that was spread across her best friends face.

"What … no we just came back from our walk and he dropped me off."

Angela crossed her arms in front of her, the smile never leaving her face "Like a date?"

Brennan looked at her friend and furrowed her brow "No, that was not a date; we simply decided that since we are required to walk twice a day, that we would do it together."

"Uh huh"

"It makes perfect sense for us to walk together, we only need two nurses with us rather than four and it makes it more enjoyable having someone to talk to. You would think nurses or people in the medical field would be interested in hearing about ways to de-flesh bones so that you can find the answers, however, most didn't seem that interested and a couple actually ran from the room. I am not sure if this is the field of study they should be in if the simple act of removing flesh from bone disturbs them so much."

"Honey, not everyone find the processes you use to clean the bones as intriguing as you and honestly it is rather disgusting." Angel raised her eyebrows at her friend "Now maybe we can talk about something we both like, like Agent Studly and the dreamy look I saw on your face as you watched his ass."

"I was not watching Booth's ass and I did not have any particular look on my face."

"I say you did and I was the one looking at you. So is something going on with Booth" her voiced sounded hopeful.

"We are partners Angela" was all she said as if that answered everything. Angela huffed "But …"

"But what?"

"I need to talk to someone about this dream I had when I was unconscious. You are better at these things than I am."

"Did this dream include Booth?" Angela asked as she took her friends hands and helped her to the bed.

"Yes"

"You get in bed and get settled, and then you tell me all about this dream and don't leave out any details."

* * *

><p>As Brennan finished telling Angela about her 'dream', Angela sat there in stunned silence. "Aren't you going to say something?" Brennan prompted her.<p>

"I am not sure where to start or exactly what I want to say. Bren you know you died three times since the actually accident."

"Yes I am aware of that."

"Okay, well I know you don't believe in this stuff, but I don't think what you told me was a dream. I think you were in some kind of limbo until you or someone decided which way you were going."

"That is not logical, my mother was-was there and she is deceased. And … and if Booth was there, then he would have been in limbo …" her voice fell silent as she remembered her mother telling her after Booth had left that he had to go back to his body. She looked at Angela and then back down to the blanket on her bed.

"Sweetie, Booth had some touch and go moments too. We didn't know if he was going to make it." Brennan's eyes snapped up to her friend. "And maybe you mother was there to help you understand your feelings for Booth."

"No, that is nto logical; it was just my subconscious mind …"

"Sweetie" Angela straightened herself up and raised her brows to her friend "Did you know how your parents met? Did you know about him touching her hair? Did you know any of that?"

"Apparently I did in my subconscious mind."

"How about the part where you were to tell your dad your mother was in the chapel."

"I – I … I don't know."

"Sometimes you just have to accept things that can't be explained with science." Angela held Brennan's gaze "Bren, I don't know how it happened, I don't know why it happened, but it did happen. You had a conversation with your mother about your future involving Booth." Angela and Brennan locked eyes "Now what about Booth, you are going to tell him … right?"


	13. Chapter 13

Brennan breathed a sign of relief as her father wheeled her over the threshold to her apartment, Booth directly behind her in his wheelchair.

"You know we could have walked." Booth pointed out

Max turned an annoyed look at him. "Probably so, but if you would have fallen or gotten overtired, who was going to help you the rest of the way?"

"Right, sorry Max, Pops."

Pops slapped his hand onto his grandson's shoulder and squeezed. "It's okay Shrimp."

Brennan's eyes were immediately drawn to the huge TV that now was awkwardly attached to one of her walls. "Dad" she never took her eyes off the TV

"WHOA Bones" Booth eyes lit up like a child at Christmas as he caught sight of the TV. Only when Booth spoke did she drag her eyes away from the TV, turned her head to the right to look at him. Any amount of annoyance she felt towards her father and this rather large purchase was suddenly gone as she watched the excitement pouring out of Booth. Her mouth was slightly agape and the corners of her mouth pulled slightly up as she watched Booth. He turned his eyes towards hers and produced his only for Bones smile.

Max clapped his hand together "Okay you two do you want to set up out here or do you want to go back and rest? Dr. Sweets is going to come by and pick up the wheel chairs and take them back to the rental company."

* * *

><p>Booth careful got out of his chair and moved in behind Brennan's wheel chair. He eyed both older men "Let's see what they have done to your room" He winced as he started to push her chair, but once the wheels started to move his discomfort lessened. He rolled her through the door to her room and saw her bed and the futon were side by side, almost like they had entered into a hotel room.<p>

"Booth they got you a futon, is that going to be enough support for your back? Maybe I should sleep on the futon so that you don't end up with an injured back too."

"Bones, I will be fine on the futon, my back will be just fine."

"Booth it is obvious that even the cheap mattress' the hospital uses has caused you problems. You are walking more stiff and it is not due to the injuries you sustained in the accident. Since my mattress is much better than the tempur pedic you have at home it would be much better for your back, hence your healing process."

"So are you trying to heal me up faster so I will leave sooner" She could hear the teasing tone in his voice.

"No, Booth, no I just ... don't want to listen to you whine about your back hurting when there is no reason to allow it to happen."

"I am not going to kick you of your own bed Bones."

"You are not kicking me out, I am offering." She gritted her teeth as she pushed herself up out of the wheelchair so she could turn and face him. "There is no reason for you to be so stubborn over the sleeping arrangements. My back is fine and I can adjust to sleeping on the futon."

"You also have a hole in your side that needs the chance to heal and therefore you should have the bed." Booth nostrils flared as he stared at her.

"Or we could share."

"Share?" Booth's face paled instantly

"Yes, we have done so in the past, Las Vegas and when we joined the circus." She reached up placing her hand on his forearm "Booth are you okay, you don't look so good?"

"Whoa no, that was a long time ago and before we ... before I ... and you ..." Booth shook his head. Nope, nada, N.O. NO! Not happening."

Booth and Brennan did not notice they had company"What on earth is going on with you two, not in the same room for 5 minutes and you are already arguing?" Pops glared at the two other occupants of the room.

"I was not arguing, I was stating facts to Booth."

"We were not arguing we were discussing." Booth added

"Sounded like arguing to me" he turned and looked at Max "Did it sound like arguing to you?"

"Yeah it did. They need to behave or we might have to put them in time out and separate them. Send each to their own corners until they can play nice with each other. Booth and Brennan both looked annoyed at the men.

"We are right here" Booth announced.

"We know that Shrimp, we are old not blind." Pops furrowed his brow at Booth before turning his attention back to the conversation he was having with Max.

"I see what you are doing and it isn't going to work." Both older men continued to ignore him. "Bones make them stop."

"I think Booth and I need some rest, so if you two would take your conversation outside, we will get that rest." Max and Pops looked rather hurt at her but they did as she asked after retrieving the wheelchair closing the door behind them."

"Thanks Bones."

"Welcome Booth"

* * *

><p>There was an awkward silence between them as she looked into his chocolate eyes for before speaking again "If you can get them, in the bottom draw of my dresser is a set of your sweats."<p>

"My sweats?"

"Yes, I borrowed them a few years ago before we decided keeping under cover bags at each others place was prudent. I failed to return them, then after a while they are so comfortable I didn't want to return them and you didn't ask."

"They are comfortable; I can't blame ya for wanting to keep them."

Booth retrieved the sweats and headed into the bathroom. When he returned he had the pants riding low on his hips and no shirt on. Brennan looked up and she forgot to breath. She couldn't pull her eyes his physic. Even with the deep bruising of black, purples and the yellowish that was healing he still caused her heart to skip a beat.

Booth caught her staring, as if she was examining bones on one of her tables, and suddenly felt exposed. "Umm … I-I … ummm I need to get a T-shirt, the sweatshirt would be – be a little hot in here."

"No Booth, it is okay, I have seen you naked before and … and your bod … You are very well put … you don't need a shirt. I-I mean if you don't want. to. put one on." She could feel the heat rise in her cheeks.

"You sure? It is warm in here … if you don't mind, that is?"

"You're fine" she nodded quickly and pulled her eyes away from his and with the speed of a tortoise she headed for the bathroom, she needed to apply some cool water to her face and get control of her out of control libido.

He grinned as he watched her move slowly across the room. Even in the oversized T shirt and sweats she had on, she looked good to him. He sighed sadly as he made his way to his futon. He managed to get one last look at her before she disappeared behind the door to her bathroom. He still loved her, he had never stopped loving her, he shook his head as he thought of the mess this last year had been. Not only had Hannah rejected him, but Bones had confessed her feelings and he turned her down. Then he watched as she put her protective shell around herself.

She was not impervious anymore, because of him. She was strong, but that strength came at a price and that price was pain, pain he put there, pain that caused her to shield herself, pain that she refused to allow herself to feel again. Booth had felt the barrier between them since that night, the night he listen to her heart wrenching sobs while he drove her home, the night she exited his vehicle and never looked back. He saw the shield begin to build as she squared her shoulders and walked away from him.

He could have stopped her, but he was a coward, he was afraid and he did love Hannah and he was determined to prove to everyone including himself he had moved on. So he watched her walk away, into her apartment building and he watched her shield herself from him, from everyone. She almost returned to the Brennan from many years ago and he was the cause of that. _So now what do you do? Do you tell her you love her, do you risk her stomping on your heart again? Has she shut down so much she can't love you anymore? You know Seeley when you fuck up, you fuck up._

* * *

><p>"<em>Oh my god why did I think this would be okay." <em>She stood looking in the mirror at the rosy glow on her cheeks, she only hoped Booth had not noticed. Placing her hands on her cheeks, she could feel the heat coming off her skin. She turned on the faucet and ran her hands under the cool water and then patted them against her cheeks, her throat and the back of her neck._ How am I going to survive sharing a room with him if he keeps running around naked? Right Tempe, you said it was okay, you know you love to look at that body and think about what it could do … Stop it, stop it, stop it._ She slapped her cheeks a little harder shaking the image of Booths body pressing against hers out of her mind.

As she slowly changed she looked at the bandage covering her wound and realized she should be changing it, but opted to wait a little longer. She careful pulled on a tank top and her wide legged sweats. Once she had them on she realized she picked the pair that rode low on her hips and she groaned to herself. There was a definite gab between the bottom of her top and the top of her sweats. Sighing heavily she had picked these particular items for their comfort and she was not going to let Booth being there change her need for comfort.

When she exited the bathroom Booth was propped up on the futon watching a hockey game. He turned when he heard the door open and all the air left his lungs while his jaw had taken up residency on the floor.

"Is everything okay?"

He collected his jaw, reattached it, swallowed hard; and let his eyes wander up and down her one last time. "Yeah – Yeah everything is fine. You look really good in that pinkish color."

"Fuschia"

"Whata?"

"Fuschia, it is the color of these garments."

"Oh, well it looks very good on you."

"Thank you Booth."

Booth turned his head back towards the TV and as nonchalantly as possible pulled the blanket over his lap.

"Booth are you sure you are okay, you don't look so good. Are you in pain?"


	14. Chapter 14

As the room started to lighten up announcing morning had arrived, Brennan started to wake slowly. Her side burned as she moved causing a moan to escape her lips, she froze for a moment as she concentrated on her breathing.

"Bones?" Booth groaned as tried to push himself up. Between his injuries and the futon, movement wasn't easy.

"Booth?"

Booth breathed through the pain and stiffness to get up and go to her. "Hey Bones" As she looked up at him the sparkle had went out of her eyes. "You hurting huh?"

"Yes"

"We need a bell or something." He stated as she slowly pulled herself off the bed and headed into the bathroom. "I will go get your pain pills." Booth said as he winced while moving to a standing position.

Just as he got to the door it came open and through it came Angela. "Whoa, big guy you don't look so good."

"Yeah, just my back …"

A voice from the bathroom "I told you that futon would aggravate your back."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah Bones, you were right okay, is that what you want me to say." Booth started for the door to the main living area

"Yes, thank you Booth." The voice from the bathroom answered

Booth rolled his eyes at Angela and left the room "Hey Sweetie" Angela started as she headed for the bathroom.

* * *

><p>Brennan stood in front of the mirror with a pair of yoga pants and her bra. Angela found her twisting, her face clearly showing her discomfort as she was trying to look at her back where the object had passed through her and into the seat.<p>

"Sweetie, what are you doing?"

"I am trying to tend my injury."

"Bren, why didn't you ask your father or better yet Booth?"

"Angela, we just got out of bed." Angela raised her eyebrows at her friend. "Angela ... not like that and Booth has his own surgical sites that he needs to take care of and as you could see his back is giving him problems since he went against my advice and slept on the futon."

"Such a shame to waste all that hotness, letting it just waste away in another bed."

"I don't understand that." Brennan looked at Angela waiting for her to elaborate.

"Never mind Bren ... and just what was your advice to Booth?"

"I suggested I could sleep on the futon since I didn't have back problems. I also suggested we could share my bed since it is much better than his tempur pedic."

"Time out, you offered to share your bed with Booth?"

"Yes, we have shared a bed in the past without any problems?"

"And when was this before or after he confessed his feelings for you?"

Brennan furrowed her brow "Booth never confessed his feelings for me, he only asked for me to give us a chance."

"Bren, he would not have asked for the chance if he didn't feel something. He loves you, you know that." Brennan tipped her head to the side and looked at Angela as if she had suddenly started to speak a language Brennan didn't understand. "And you love him, you told me that already. So what are you waiting for, an engraved invitation?"

The girls heard the bedroom door open, "Honey, Booth said you were hurting?"

Angela jumped up and greeted Max in the bedroom. "I'll take that" she reached for the glass of water and pill. "We will be spending some girl time in here, so you guys just stay out there." With that she shooed Max from the room, she had lots of work to do and needed Brennan's undivided attention.

Angela picked up the Betadine to clean the site and the ointment to prevent anything sticking to the bandage. "Angela I don't know what to do."

"First, why don't you work out a deal, you will change his bandages and he can change yours. Stop being scared and love that man, tell him about what happened."

"The dream?"

"If that is what you want to call it, yes 'the dream' Sweetie …."

"What if he doesn't feel the same?"

"Why do you think that? Do you think he stuck around all this time for his health? Bren everything he does is what someone who loves you does."

"So then I should tell him …"

"Turn around" Angela's eyes caught her friends in the mirror before she started to tend to her back "Yes, you need to and before he gives up all together on you."

"Okay I will do it."

"Yay now lets get your hair cleaned and get you toe nails painted. Nothing makes you feel better than pretty toes."

As Angela washed her hair, she wondered how to start this conversation with Booth. "Angela I am not sure how to start this."

"You mean how to approach the topic of your after life experience?"

"Angela ..."

"Okay, Okay, the dream. Just tell him you want to tell him about 'the dream' and then start, I am sure he will guide you if you start to get off track."

After drying Brennan's hair and moisturizing her arms, legs, and back she helped her pick out some comfortable clothing to lounge around in. "Angela I am not sure if this would be appropriate while sharing a room with Booth." Brennan was wearing a pair of lounging shorts and a baby doll type top, both in a light shade of pink."

"Trust me sweetie, this is the only thing you should wear in his presence, think of it as a blood pressure check for Booth."

"I don't understand that."

"You don't need to sweetie, just trust me on this. Now I need to go, I have to meet Hodgins in a little bit. I will be back tomorrow unless this little one ..." she rubbed her stomach affectionately "decides to arrive. You call me if you need anything." Brennan smiled at her friend as she watched her leave.

* * *

><p>Booth came back in as Brennan was exiting the bathroom. "Booth"<p>

"Bones don't start about the futon okay. You were right and I think that maybe Pops and I should go back to my place, I am able to move around enough to take care of myself."

"Oh" he walked pass her into the bathroom and shut the door. She could feel dread sweeping over her body. She had to tell him, she had to get through to him before he left. She turned back and lightly knocked on the bathroom door "Booth"

"Yeah" came his voice through the door

"You want some help with your bandage?" her brain was a little foggy from the pain pill and it was all she could think of to start the conversation.

"Nah, I got it Bones."

"Oh … Okay then…" she backed away from the door.

* * *

><p>As she wandered out into the kitchen, Pops looked up from his paper. "Well, well, well, hello beautiful." She gave him a tight smile as she eased herself down into a chair. "You hungry?"<p>

"A little"

"What would you like, Max has some yogurt in the frig for you and some of your fake bacon and there are eggs or I can make you some pancakes, I make some pretty good ones you know."

"Where is Dad?"

"He went to the store to pick up something I forgot to get Seeley. It really helps to have both of us, you know since I don't drive anymore and don't move around as well as I once did. And you know Seeley tries to act like he is okay and ready to take on the world, doesn't like to show weakness."

Brennan started to push herself up from the table "Hey darlin', you sit I can get you whatever you need."

She smiled at Pops, "Yogurt please."

"Coming right up."

* * *

><p>Booth stood in front of the mirror and looked at his bruised torso and his eyes wandered to his surgical site that was an angry red color. He gently touched it and sucked in air at the tenderness the site produced. He carefully cleaned the site and treated it with betadine before bandaging it back up, then cleaning the rest of himself.<p>

When he walked out of the door of the bathroom he found her sitting on the edge of her bed. "Booth I don't think it is wise for you to go home."

He ducked his head and looked up at her from hooded eyes "Really?"

She carefully stood "Yes, you will take my bed and I will sleep on the futon. It would be …"

"I already told you I was not taking your bed."

"And I told you I was offering and it would not be fair to Pops for you to be so … so … selfish." She held her chin up at the defiant angle that always made him smile inside.

He raised his eye brows "Selfish … just how is my going home being selfish."

"Booth there are a lot of things that are difficult for him to do and if something were to happen to you he might not be able …"

"Nothing is going to happen to me." He started to across towards his bag when she reached for him and her hand came in contact with his bandage. He sucked in air and pulled away from her.

"Booth, that shouldn't hurt like that."

"I'm fine Bones."

"No you're not, let me look."

She reached for his shirt and he took her hands in his "All right, it is a little tender." She never flinched she kept her eyes on his "Alright it is a little infected."

"A little" She pulled his shirt up and carefully removed some of the bandage so she could see. "BOOTH!" She ripped the rest of the bandage off fast.

"JESUS BONES!"

"Oh stop being a baby and go lay down" she turned and shuffled into the bathroom "ON MY BED" she called

She came back and slowly managed to sit on the bed beside him while she tended to his infected surgical site. "If this doesn't show any improvement by tomorrow you are going back in to see the doctor."

"It will be …" She raised her eyes to his and pursed her lips effectively quieting him.

"And you will not be doing anything foolish like going home, you need to be here so that I …we can keep an eye on you so you don't ignore your body's communication … she lowered her eyes back to what she was doing "and I want to talk to you about the dream I had while we were in the hospital."

"Dream?"

"Yes, Angela said it wasn't a dream, but she thinks I should tell you about it since you were there."

"I was"

"Yes" she finished tending to his side and applied a clean bandage.

She put everything on the night stand and started to rise when Booth gently caught her arm. "I thought you wanted to tell me about a dream"

"Later, right now I think I would like to rest." She walked over to the futon tossed Booth the remote and she laid down and succumbed to sleep a few moments later.


	15. Chapter 15

Booth laid there and watched her sleep, wondering what this dream was she had and if he should divulge his experience to her. His mind raced as he thought about his experience, the panic he felt when he could not reach her and she was unwilling to return with him. How he felt his heart sink when Christine told him she would take care of her. He was losing her and there was nothing he could do about it, but make her promise. Bones didn't break promises.

Would she wonder why he was so panicked over her staying with her mother, would she understand the true meaning behind why he made her promise to return to him? No Bones was too rational for that, she would assume it had something to do with their partnership. He let his head loll back on the pillow, so now the question was did he tell her the meaning, did he put his heart out there in front of her and see if she crushed it again. As he closed his eyes his decision was made, no couldn't tell her, he couldn't lose her. Booth drifted off to sleep.

* * *

><p>Brennan woke slowly and blinked as she realized where she was and why, her room, futon, Booth. She started to raise up and her side burned, reminding her to take it slowly. She sat on the side of the futon looking over at Booth; he was asleep on his back with his neck pushed up in an uncomfortable looking position and the remote laid haphazardly across the fingers on his right hand.<p>

Although her side hurt, she didn't want to move from her position of observation. It wasn't often she could uninhibitedly observe Booth. She had observed him like this once before, while he was in a coma. She had sat and memorized the contours of his face, the tiny scars on his arms, the way his veins were like a map across his hands. Yesterday was the first time in a long time she noticed the one scar that almost separated them forever. The scar that most likely saved her life and almost destroyed it at the same time, the scar that ripped open the box she kept him securely in to keep him from getting to close and since that time, she worked on repairing that box and putting him back in it, but he wouldn't stay there. Even when Hannah was here, he kept slipping out and infecting her and now here he was and she knew what she had to do, but she didn't know exactly how.

She hadn't realized he awoke while she stared shamelessly at his body. As her eyes travelled back to his face her eyes were met by warm brown curious eyes and a crooked smile. "Were you checking me out Bones?"

She pulled her eyes away from him, not knowing where to focus her eyes, they darted around like she was watching a pin ball game. "Wha … No, I-I was, umm, I just woke and was…Did you sleep well?"

His crooked smile spread wider on his face, "Yeah I did, then I wake up to find you … there … staring." She pushed herself up off the futon and shuffled towards the bathroom "I-I was not staring" she challenged in a weak voice.

He pulled himself up, sucking in air as his body reminded him it was still damaged. He followed slowly behind her. "Hey, Bones" She kept shuffling and he tensed his jaw and forced himself to move faster to catch her. When his hand caught her arm small beads of sweat broke out on his forehead as he fought to control the pain from his infected incision and still mending ribs. "You know I was only teasing right?"

"Yes" she continued on her original path to the bathroom

"Bones?"

She stopped but didn't turn around "Yes"

"Want me to check your bandage?" It was lame and he knew it, but maybe he could get her to start talking, "And then maybe you can check mine, you know save Pops and Max the trouble?"

"That is acceptable." She resumed her shuffle to the bathroom room with Booth following slowly behind her.

* * *

><p>She pulled out new gauze, tape, antiseptic for cleaning and antibiotic ointment. She uncovered Booths angry looking incision and then unable to find a comfortable way to move so she could examine and clean it she straightened herself and looked around. "Here" She moved herself over and closed the toilet lid and slowly sat down, "Come here, this way I don't have to bend to tend to you." She spread her knees so that Booth could easily step in between them, and he swallowed hard as he looked down at her and her proximity to him.<p>

He licked his lips and started to name off the saints, his train of thought derailed a couple of times as her fingers lightly touched his tender skin. "Ummm Bones?"

"Shhh, I want to get a good look at this so that I can gauge by tomorrow if it is getting better or if we need to seek out the doctor."

"Okay" he swallowed hard again as her hand came to rest on his hip and she manipulated him so she could get better light on the site. In her manipulation it brought her face so very close to him, he could feel her breath on his skin and it only increased his battle to maintain control. _"Don't look at her, don't look down, don't look at her, don't look down, St. Peter, St. Paul, Mother Teresa …"_ He glanced down for only a moment before his head snapped back up and he stared at the wall behind her _"Damn, I told you not to look down, her face is right … Our Father who art in heaven ..."_

With the site cleaned, she pulled back slightly as she applied the ointment and a new bandage. "How is that Booth?" she looked up at him. He looked down into her eyes and about fell backwards as he stumbled to get some distance. "Fine, it is fine Bones. Your turn, huh?" She furrowed her brow at him and tipped her head, not sure why the sudden change in behavior.

She slowly rose and motioned for him to sit. "It is much easier when you don't have to bend and with your infection I can imagine that would be quite painful."

Booth did as she requested and he sat down on the toilet, spread his knees and she stepped in between them. Booth sat there staring straight her midsection as she slowly raised her top to reveal her taunt abdominal muscles and her beautiful porcelain skin. Booth licked his lips unconsciously as he went to work on removing her bandage.

"Booth would you just pull it fast, get it over with rather than drawing it out."

He looked up at her, got a good grip on the bandage and ripped it off. She sucked in air and held it for a moment while discomfort passed. When she started to breath again she realized Booths hand was resting on her side lightly patting her through it. She glanced down and her eyes were greeted by worried ones "Sorry Bones" She swallowed hard and pulled her eyes back up. She felt a tightening in her lower abdomen _"Oh my god, how can he do that to me with just a look. Get control Tempe, breath in, breath out, don't look at him." _

As Booth worked to clean one side of her site, neither he nor Brennan were aware they had an audience. Max and Pops peeked through the door smiling watching the pair interact. The tenderness Booth used with her and although the angle was not optimal, neither missed the looks they gave each other. Max and Pops backed out and left the couple alone.

* * *

><p>"So Bones, you were going to tell me about your dream." She stiffened; he noticed and lightly rested his hand on her hip. "Hey, it's okay if you don't want to talk about it. I'm … its okay Bones." He lightly squeezed her hip and silently went back to what he was doing.<p>

He had her turn around so he could work on the bandage on her back. "You know I had an experience while we were at the hospital." he started

"You did?"

"Yeah, it was … you were there."

"I was?"

"Yeah and we were in your office."

"Really, what were we doing?"

"Talking" his mind raced as he tried to find a way to tell her about this out of body experience without her giving him a lecture about how his religion was mythology.

"Are you going to tell me Booth or are we going to continue with this cryptic conversation." She was thankful that he changed the subject and wasn't pushing her to talk just yet.

"You got to promise not to go off on my religion and improbability of what happened. Okay?"

"Okay"

"Say it Bones."

"I promise."

He ripped off the bandage on her back and lightly patted his hand against her spine to sooth her while the sting dissipated.

"Let's see where to start."

"The beginning is usually a good place."

"BONES!" he whined

"What?"

He shook his head and chuckled as he thought about her and how rational she was. The smile slowly faded from his face as he thought about the next words to say. "Ummm, we were in your office. You, me, and … you mother." He could feel her tense under his touch. He stopped working on her injury and let his eyes dart around her back as he took in the tightness of her muscles. "Are you okay?"

"Yes" She took a deep breath "I am fine; continue on with your story."

He went back to tending her "Anyway, I got a really uncomfortable feeling and you were so happy your mother was there and … I couldn't touch you. I couldn't … I was not happy to see you mother, I am sorry Bones, but if she was there then …"

"I was dead. And you said you couldn't reach me. I could reach you Booth; I told you I could reach you."

He stopped and was staring at the wall to his side not noticing she was turning around. When she came to rest facing him, only then did he bring his eyes up to meet hers "I made you promise to come back to me."

"Yes"

"You didn't seem to understand what your mother being there meant." She locked eyes with him "You thought she was alive."

"Yes."

"You thought I was being annoying making you promise."

"Yes"

"But you had to promise so you … so you … you don't break promises Bones."

"How were you in my dream Booth?"

"What do you mean your dream?"

"That was the beginning of my dream Booth."

"Bones, that wasn't a dream." She backed away from him a few steps and studied his face.

"Then … what was it Booth?" he saw the fear in her eyes the fear that he just might be right, that all her science might be wrong and there might be a God and Angels and … and her science might be wrong."

"An unexplainable experience Bones, an experience we partially shared … somehow." He tried gently hoping it would ease the fear he saw in her eyes. She just continued to stare at him. "Come 'ere Bones" he motioned with his arm for her to come closer "Let me finish that bandage and you can tell me about the time you spent with your mother." He gave her his best smile to help coax her back to him.

Having her back to Booth made talking a little easier, but still she couldn't get over the fact that they had somehow shared her dream. "She told me about how she and dad met."

"Oh"

"She got off a bus and bumped into him, excused herself and left and he followed her. At a cross walk he touched her hair and she said something about him just stuck."

"A love at first sight"

"If you believe in that sort of thing."

"I do"

"I know you do Booth."

* * *

><p>Silence hung between the partners as Booth finished up her back and he slowly got up. "Lets get some food and some medicine and then we can continue this."<p>

"Booth" she turned to face him

"Yeah Bones"

As his eyes met hers she moved her mouth to speak but nothing would come out. _"I love you, Booth. I love you …"_

"Bones?" Booth looked confused at her "Bones?"

"Yo-you lay down; I know your ribs are probably hurting …"

"You are hurting too." she started to protest and he held up his hand. "Compromise" he held his hand out to her and she took it without hesitation.

They shuffled their way out to the living room. "Hey Shrimp, nice to see you two" Pops smiled as he looked down and noticed their join hands. "Hey Max look who joined us."

Booth smiled "We could starve back there before either of you showed up" a glint of mischief in his eyes. Brennan let go of Booths hand and slowly made her way into her kitchen, Max close behind. Pops started to head that way when Booth stopped him.

"Pops?"

"Hmmm"

"Could you and Max go shopping or something."

"Why?" The old man studied his grandson's face

"Just for an hour. Bones and I need to talk and honestly a bedroom is not where we should be talking."

"You going to tell her?"

"Tell her what?"

"Tell her what? You know what you need to tell her."

"Pops I asked her a chance before I re-enlisted. She turned me down. I-I …" his eyes fell to the floor. "I can't lose her and if being her partner is the only way to have her with me … then so be it." He pursed his lips, swallowed hard, and stared at his grandfather.

"She loves you."

"Maybe, but there is just … I … we missed our chance." He moved his gaze to the empty doorway to her kitchen.

"Pfft, I ought to slap you both." Pops shook his head with frustration at his grandson.

"Look Pops, could you just please get Max out of here so we can talk and not in a bedroom?"

"Yeah, sure" He shook his head at his grandson again and headed for the kitchen. Booth followed slowly behind.

* * *

><p>After a filling lunch, some pain medication and good conversation. Everyone was feeling rather relaxed. "Max, think we need to go to the store."<p>

"Huh, I just went yesterday…"

"And you forgot that thing I told you to get."

"What thing?" Max held out his hands to his sides "I don't know what thing you are talking about." Pops managed to sneak a look at him, that Max picked up on. "Oh that thing, right, you are right, we … I … forgot it. Right, Honey Hank I will be … go and get that thing." The two older men stumbled out of the apartment, Pops winked at Booth trying to give him courage as they disappeared.

"Whoa, I guess that thing is pretty important huh, Bones." Booth grinned hoping she was clueless to their bumbling behavior.

She sat there staring at the empty door way, her senses dulled by the pain medication. Her eyes drifted to Booth. A small drugged smile crossed her face "You got rid of them didn't you?"

"What, who … me …How … No" he frained innocence "Pfft"

Booth slowly rose from the table and straightened out his stiff body. He then held out on hand to her to assist her in getting out of her chair. They both shuffled into her living room and gingerly sat down on opposite sides of her couch.

Brennan stared straight ahead, her hands playing absently with the hem of her shirt. "My mother told me things that no one knows, she also told me that I took some things that you said to literally, which I have been known to do from time to time." She glanced at Booth and he had turned himself a little on the couch so he could face her and he nodded his agreement at her.

"She told me that the night Hannah turned down your proposal that when you said we were partners, which is true, but that the word partners had a much broader meaning."

Booth now was staring wide eyes and slack jawed at her. _"Is she saying what I think she is saying? _His heart started to beat faster at the prospect _"Slow down Seeley, just wait and let her talk. Don't make the same mistake as you did last time."_

Brennan turned back and stared down at her hands. "She told me you would not say it again, not first, that it had to be me. But first I had to admit it to myself, admit what I have been fighting and hiding from for a long time."

"What is 'it' Bones?" She turned her head to look at him. Her eyes shimmered as they locked onto his.

"I … Iwanttogoforadifferentoutcome" came spilling out, her eyes wide as she watched him; she sucked in air and didn't realize she was holding her breath. They continued to stare at each other.

Booth's mind was in slow motion as he processed every second of what just happened.  
>"Really?" was the only word he could form.<p>

"Yes" she said a little unsure of herself.

He grimaced as he inched his way closer to her "You're sure?" he moved up right next to her

"Yes"

"Oh god … I …" he didn't know what to say, it was like his dream was finally coming true. "Really" his excitement showed on his face

"I love you Booth, I have for quite some time, I just was afraid of losing what we have."

He cupped her cheek in his hand "I love you too Bones, and I'm not going anywhere. It can only get better from here." He grimaced slightly as he leaned forward to kiss her.

Booth carefully got himself and her off the couch "You know Bones your timing sucks."

"Why?"

"Because I want nothing more than to carry you through those doors and make love to you and I can't."

She smiled up at him as she slipped her hand into his and they shuffled to her room. Both carefully positioning themselves in bed to be close and comfortable at the same time. The only problem that needed solved now was when Booth was going to get the right side of the bed back. Certain concessions had to be made, and for Bones to curl up next to him he had to give up what he claimed as his side of the bed. Booth got settled on his back and once he was comfortable Brennan curled around him the best she could without hurting either of them.

Booth sighed happily as she settled in and he turned his head to kiss the top of hers "I love you Bones and once we are well I am going to show you just how much. But right now these pain meds are kicking my ass."

She smiled and kissed his shoulder "I am holding you to that Agent Booth." she yawned slightly in agreement about the pain meds.

They drifted off to sleep almost as soon as their bodies relaxed, for the first time in a long time they were both completely at peace.

* * *

><p>Pops and Mac's arrived home to a quiet apartment. They looked at each other and then Max quietly made his way to Brennan's bedroom to check on their charges. As he quietly pushed opened the door the sight before him made him smile. His daughter curled up around Booth her leg resting over one of his and his hand closest to her resting on her thigh. Her head snuggled into his shoulder. He quietly closed the door and with a smile on his face and a lightness to his step he rejoined Hank in the living room.<p>

Hank looked at him expectantly and motioned for him to follow. "Finally Hank, I believe they finally admitted everything." Max smiled again, "Look for yourself"

Christine stood next to Max and slid her hand into his and smiled as he looked down at his hand. "Thank you baby for helping her see the way. I love you"

"I love you too Max"

"What are you mumbling." Hank asked as he stood staring at Max

"Nothing Hank, nothing at all. How about some 5 Card stud while we wait for the kids to wake up?"

"Max I think I owe you my next retirement check by now. How about something a little less hard on the pocket book."

"Like Gin Rummy?"

"No, I was thinking more along the lines of Go Fish."

* * *

><p><strong>I know this chapter was longer than normal, but I could not find a breaking point to separate it into 2 chapters. I hope you enjoyed the story. <strong>


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